Over 2,500 CCTV Cameras Installed Around Kampala - Police
By Fred Kiva
More than 2500 cameras, of the 3233 Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras, planned under the national CCTV project have so far been installed, the police have said.
Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga says the installation progress now stands at 78percent. “So far 2547 cameras have been installed out of 3233 (78%), sites installed are 1038 out of 1248 (83%), cameras online are 1565 out of 3233 (48.4%), trenching 1083km out of 1258km (86%), monitoring rooms online (Divisions) 11 out of 18(61%), fiber cable laying 1000km out of 1258km (79.5%), construction of the National Center (40%),” Enanga said in a statement issued on Monday.
“The work has been carried out as part of the police investments in the CCTV provision across the country, on the directive of H.E. the President,” he added. The cameras are located in strategic policing divisions including Katwe, CPS, Old Kampala, Jinja Road, Wandegeya, Kajjansi, Nansana, Entebbe, Wakiso, Kawempe, Kira and Kasubi. According to Police Installation of CCTV cameras is expected to be complete by December 30th, 2019.
While commissioning the CCTV command center at Natete Police Station in October last year, President Yoweri Museveni said the cameras would enhance supervision of police officers during operations as well their response to crime. The president pushed for the installation of the cameras following the gunning down of former Police Spokesperson, Andrew Felix Kaweesi in March 2017. Follow up murder incidents, including that of MP Ibrahim Abiriga, Buyende DPC Muhammad Kirumira among others, have presented an urgent need for CCTV cameras, especially around the City to help in investigations.
The CCTV project is being implemented by Huawei Technology limited and is expected to cost Shillings 458 billion. “The purpose of the use of the CCTV is to monitor public places, where they are installed to assist in the prevention and detection of crime,” Enanga said, adding “the completion of phase I, of this innovative project, will mark a significant point in what is a complex and intricate project. The program works have been huge and we are grateful to the CCTV project team for all their hard work.”
The Police mouthpiece said the security agency is using the CCTV system for gathering information, supporting patrols within the KMP area, directing investigations, tackling anti-social and criminal behavior, which range from nuisance to assaults and wounding, and other offenses such as burglary, robbery, and murder. According to him, the recordings show the whole incident from the point the offender begins to commit an offense to the end.
The police statement on CCTV cameras comes barely two days after the gruesome murder of a boda-boda cyclist by two robbers, was captured on the CCTV cameras of a nearby nursery and primary school as the thugs strangled the helpless cyclist and later hit him repeatedly on the head to death, with what appeared to be a blunt object. The murderers later took off with the victim’s motorcycle.
The incident occurred on 29th, June 2019 at around 0400 am, at Kakeeka Zone, Rubaga Division, in the Kampala district. The police have widely circulated footage of this gruesome incident online, with the hope of identifying the killers. “The public should also note that the effect of CCTV cameras is enhanced when installing alongside other complementary measures, like police patrols, community vigilance, environmental designs, thus raising its credibility as a threat to offenders,” Enanga observed, adding that the CCTV operators are constantly monitoring the areas under surveillance and passing information to the police command center, about incidents which require police response.
He says “Some of the videos we are uploading today indicate the effect of the scheme on crime and disorder. They will further help improve the understanding of how CCTV can be used to control crime and disorder within public places.”
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