Minister of State for Planning, David Bahati has presented a request to Parliament for govt to borrow US $ 104m from Standard Chartered Bank, to finance the CCTV network.
Hon Bahati and his Internal Affairs counterpart State Minister, Obiga Mario Kania agree that the CCTV cameras have significantly reduced crime in the city and propose that the requested loan of US $ 104M will help to further reduce crime in the country.
Bahati says that according to the Annual Crime Report 2017, the Uganda Police Force investigates an average of 100,000 cases per year and the current cost of investigating one criminal case at least UGX 5 million.
“With the CCTV system in place, the cost of criminal investigation will reduce to an estimated cost Shs 2 million per case” Hon Bahati argued.
He told plenary this morning chaired by Deputy Speaker of parliament Jacob Oulanya that there are currently 121 CCTV cameras installed and managed by the Police in the entire country.
He further informed the House that a total of 220 cases have been investigated and prosecuted with the help of CCTV footage, between 2015-2018. Now, legislators who support the request for government to borrow the money to finance the CCTV network, request that maintenance costs should also be catered for.
Hon Ssewungu Gonzaga the Kalungu Legislator says the CCTV cameras should not only be installed in the city but in the rural areas as well. He also suggests that govt should consider deploying sniffer dogs in rural areas to help reduce the crime rate.
Mukono South MP Hon Johnson Muyanga says dangerous spots which are even known to the police should be considered. “Sometimes cameras are installed in areas with low crime rate" he added.
Hon Kasule Robert Sebunya the Nansana legislator decries of the high crime rate at the Northern bypass. He says the bypass has turned too dangerous to use past midnight.
Hon Robert Ssentongo wants government to give a report on the contribution of the already installed CCTV cameras. She says there are several dangerous spots in Kampala without lights and cameras.
