As the ruling National Resistance Movement, NRM goes to polls today Friday September 4, 2020 to elect Parliamentary flag bearers across the country, the Police in Kampala have decided to work with Local Defence Units –LDU personnel to provide security in the violence marred primaries.
According to officers, meetings held between Kampala Metropolitan Police Commander Moses Kafeero resolved that the division and station commanders should find ways on how they will incorporate sister security agencies including LDUs in their day and night operations.
The police officers said they have been told to first debrief LDUs together with police officers attached to their respective stations to ensure they have uniform operation procedures.
Deployment started as early as 5 am and the security officials will ensure every polling station is secured.
The Kampala metropolitan area covers Kampala City, Wakiso and Mukono districts and has more than 6,000 LDUs, some who are directly attached to police stations while others pitched camps at Sub-county, municipality or division headquarters.
The Kampala police spokesperson Patrick Onyango, and his deputy, Luke Owoyesigyire, denied knowledge of having LDUs incorporated in today’s deployment plan.
But, Owoyesigyire said LDUs will only help police in protecting civilians in Namalere village under Kasangati policing division where the Area Police Post has been closed after several police officers tested positive with COVID-19.
The UPDF First Division spokesperson Maj Bilal Katamba says LDUs are ready to work at any time they are called by police, but is quick to add that they had not received police request and official guidance on how LDUs will jointly work with the police force to secure NRM primaries.
