Police commanders Ochom, Kafeero clash over LC travel letters
- Written by URN
Director of police operations services, AIGP Edward Ochom
The director of police operations services, AIGP Edward Ochom, has denied giving orders banning the use of travel letters issued by Local Council chairpersons and Resident District Commissioner (RDCs) to people with emergencies.
While declaring a 42-days lockdown last Friday, President Yoweri Museveni, said LCs and RDCs can issue travel clearance to people going for medical services such as pregnant mothers and other conditions.
However, Kampala Metropolitan police commander, Moses Kafeero, on Sunday night issued 11 orders among them was to confiscate all LCs and RDCs letters.
“Any occupants with travel documents signed by LCS and RDCs are not allowed. Confiscate those letters and park the vehicles and communicate to the supervisors. Keep those letters for our accountability,” reads order number six.
But AIGP Ochom said as the director of operations he is not aware of such orders citing Museveni’s speech where he authorised LCs and RDCs to issue clearances for emergencies especially medical related conditions.
“I listened to the president I can’t be the one to contradict them. If someone needs medical treatment, he or she can get travel clearance from the Chairman. I have not issued such orders,” said Ochom.
Nevertheless, a number of police officers found at various roadblocks said they were following the KMP orders. A number of people including journalists were stuck on the roads because of these new KMP orders.
Ochom, however, said moving in branded cars and having a job ID putting you in the category of essential workers is not enough. According to Ochom, companies including media houses must also give letters explaining why it is important for that particular worker to be on duty every day.
“We must have a reason why you must leave your home. Being a nurse or a doctor doesn’t mean you keep moving around town because you are essential work. You must have proof that you are on duty. A journalist having an ID is not enough. Not all journalists must be at work. You must have a limited number at work,” said Ochom.
KMP commanders have been urged to allow branded company vehicles to move. However, all the occupants in those company branded vehicles must bear IDs for those companies.
“For example if u find a branded car for Mukwano company and the occupants in that vehicle cannot identify themselves as workers of Mukwano you arrest the occupants and park the vehicle for further management,” reads KMP commander’s guidelines.
Comments
There is no way a presidential directive can be exhaustively comprehensive and this is when it demands officers implementing it to think outside the box when confronted with any challenge at a road block.
It is all easy as long as the motive of the security officer is not corruption. The pandemic requires isolation in all forms so that transmission is defeated.
If you leave it unregulated it looks as if it was coming from a dictator. And you know what, the presidents subordinates such as the PM and ministers fear meeting him over such important issues.
Otherwise exceptions in the travel ban could have been clearly spelt out to ease the work of RDCS and LCs.
It is always a one man show (M7). How is it that only person matters in this country? In other countries the cabinet discusses and formulates rules on how to manage a lockdown.
A plan is drawn and all those responsible will read from the same directives with well defined guidelines and command of chain. M7 thinks everything can be solved by use of force, hence security organs.
These groups keep stepping each others toes because they see this as source fleecing citizens, but not as a health issue.
Vaccination has failed the government and its police and military, to go on in the city. The partial police lockdown that has been in place plus the military curfew have all failed to stop the spread of this pandemic.
Now that the new variant of COVID19 number 1 or number 2 are well settled in the metropolitan areas of this international city, how many times does Mr Kafeero want this city to stay in incessant lockdowns?
What of the constant spreading of other various killer diseases. This tropical city used to have a decontamination scheme to control malaria mosquitoes.
Who surely need to be arrested because of not doing his or her job properly, and the mess in this city has gone on to increase tenfold to dangerous levels against human lives?
We have farms to ran, not all of us have pick up trucks. If one lives on the farm and has no bikes, can't common sense let them pick supplies or even deliver produce to the local Town or markets using their car?
Within say a radius of 10km?
Some common sense is needed, but that's very uncommon it seems.
That's why we are saying that it's the work of the PM, or indeed any other concerned authority, to come out and regulate the President's directive.
They are simply sleeping when matters out here are going awry as a result of the travel ban. Otherwise the President did his work well of halting the deadly infections.