In a letter written by, Grace Matsiko, the National Chairman of the Uganda Private Security Association (TUPSA) about two months ago, owners of private security companies want police to return their guns.
Private security companies have written to Uganda Police Force demanding for the release of their more than 500 guns that were reportedly taken by police for fingerprinting more than five months ago.
In a letter written by, Grace Matsiko, the National Chairman of the Uganda Private Security Association (TUPSA) about two months ago, owners of private security companies want police to return their guns.
This was the second letter TUPSA has written to the police force as the first one was written and received by the office deputy Inspector General of Police, Maj Gen Stephen Muzeyi Sabiiti, on November 12, 2019.
“The six members elected executive committee of TUPSA is seeking an appointment to meet you and seek your guidance on the following issues that have to date remained a challenge to private security sector. Loss of guns/ guns withheld for long periods at police, taxation and bureaucracy,” Matsiko states in the letter.
TUPSA which is a voluntary organisation bring together 250 private security companies in Uganda to enhance synergy, strengthen adherence to regulations, promote co-operations and coordination with stakeholders particularly Uganda police force.
Efforts to get a comment from head of private security and firearms acting commissioner, Senior Superintendent of Police –SSP Apollo Kateeba, were futile as he was not in office at the time Uganda Radio Network –URN visited.
Nevertheless, SSP Kateeba had recently in an interview told URN, that the guns had some issues that were being rectified. Kateeba said some of the guns were too old and their bullets are no longer being manufactured.
//cue in “We had issues with…
Cue out “…they can be repaired”//
Out of 250 private security organisations, 152 use firearms while 98 operate using batons. At least 19,000 guns are in the hands of PSOs. Police launched a fingerprinting exercise as part of the President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s 10-points program on end gun violence in the country.
Police Spokesperson, Fred Enanga, in January this year revealed that 57,171 guns had so far been fingerprinted in eight months’ period. The task team carrying out the electronic registration of firearms is led by AIGP Edward Ochom.
The electronically recorded guns were from the 24 regions and the Kampala Metropolitan Policing area. The test fired and fingerprinted guns belong to the Police, Prisons, Private Security Organizations, Individual civilians and LDUs.
“The fingerprinting of guns has proven to be effective in reducing incidents of security involved shootings. Simply because the ballistic record in the database is easily traceable to an individual or group of individuals, unlike in the past where no ballistic records existed,” Enanga said.
AIGP Ochom through Enanga said each firearm tested, leaves a unique marking on the shell casing, and no two firearms leave the same markings. The casing is then entered into an acquisition station, where it acquires different images, like a firing pin impression, an ejector mark, a breech face mark. Each of these marks or impressions are unique, much like the DNA for humans.
Story by Kato Joseph
