Covid 19: Security Agencies Intensify Highway Operations, Vigilance

As the country enters the second day of lock down, security agencies under the Inter-Agency Joint Task Force (JTF) intensified operations to enforce the presidential directives on the fight against Corona Virus.

President Museveni on Wednesday issued new tough directives which included a close down of public transport in order to limit the spread of the virus in the country.

This was after the ministry of health registered more cases bring the total to 14.

This led to an emergency meeting of the National Security Council which formed an Inter-Agency joint task force to support the ministry of health in combating the deadly Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID19) in the country.

After the lock down on public transport was announced, teams from the UPDF reinforced police at regional level countrywide to increase vigilance.

“Security forces have already deployed to ensure observance of mandatory quarantine, MOH guidelines at non-agricultural work places and when using public transport,” police spokesperson Fred Enanga said in a statement

Along the highways, chimp corps established that the number of road blocks were increased to enforce travel restrictions.

All permitted vehicles were thoroughly checked by security personnel who were deployed at all check points.

Whereas security points were manned by traffic Police, they were also backed by UPDF Soldiers, Police Field Force while others had counter terrorism police.

For instance, on the first day of lock down 15 road blocks were set up from Paader, a border district with Democratic Republic of Congo to Kampala.

These were located at, Paider, Nebbi junction, Packwach, Karuma, Kiranyandongo, Kigumba and Mijera.

The others were at Kaffu, Luwero, Wobulenzi, two at Bombo and Matugga.

Relatedly, Kampala Metropolitan also has serious road check points in all regions including the city centre along Kampala road and Jinja road police station.

Security at all the check points is mainly focusing on the number of occupants of private and cargo vehicles.

On Thursday, Katonga, Kigezi, West Nile, Savanah and KMP regional Police divisions arrested suspects and also impounded vehicles that had defied the presidential directives.

Police and sister security agencies have vowed to enforce the presidential directives in order to fight the deadly corona virus.