Over 10 powerful military tankers moving around Kampala, accompanied by UPDF helicopters hovering in the skies have since become the talk of the city with many Ugandans heaping praises on Uganda’s firepower.
These armoured war vehicles are part of the 100 armoured personnel carriers President Yoweri Museveni acquired from Turkey in the recent past.
These Tanks have heavy firepower, strong armour, and good battlefield manoeuvrability provided by tracks and a powerful engine; usually their main armament is mounted in a turret.
Uganda is one of the nations on the continent with a well structured and solid military infrastructure.
The military helicopters patrolled nearly all the Kampala suburbs in what many would call an assurance that Uganda is still safe and secure as the country goes into an election to choose its new set of political leaders.
The President who also Commands the military is seeking his 6 term of office. He faces off with 10 challengers.
Uganda Police responded to heightened security across the country as an operational plan to ensure safety of all Ugandans.
Statement
As the Joint Task Force, we have an operational plan to ensure the protection and safety of all Ugandans and visitors in the country. We have heightened our levels of visibility and alertness as we go into the polls. Additional manpower has been deployed tactically in the field, from the Polling station, the Parish level, Sub-county, County level. All villages, trading centres, Town/Urban Councils, Municipalities, and Cities are effectively covered in our deployment plans.
Our task teams stationed at specific points will be responsible for responding to any election related calls. We already have patrols at all levels (foot, motorcycle and motorized) along selected hotspotting poling centres especially in 39 districts out of the 146 districts in addition to the special checkpoints and traffic enforcements operations among others.
Additional efforts are focused on identifying, investigating and disrupting individuals that intend to incite violence and engage in criminal activity, especially Youth Brigades like Agenda Kifuba Ddembe in Nansana, Mityana Municipality; “Ten Ten” in Mukono, Makindye, Nansana, Kiira and Nakawa; Team Banyiivu in Makindye and Lubaga; Hard Body along the Northern bypass, Kawempe Division, Team Jalia in Nakawa; Jua Kali in Najja Sub-County and Kiyindi Town Council in Buikwe District; and other Youth Brigade in Teso Sub-region, Rukungiri, Mbarara, Arua, Gulu and Jinja Cities.
We also have credible intelligence that the NUP Presidential Candidate, Hon. Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert wants to go into hiding possibly in one of the Embassies, immediately after casting his vote. And thereafter, allege through his NUP networks and bloggers, that he has been kidnapped by state operatives. The intention is to incite the public and cause another wave of protests. We want to inform the public that this is a tactic that we strongly condemn and issue a strong warning to the perpetrators.
All Ugandans should rest assured and fell safe as we head into the elections. The elections will be largely peaceful, since we are more than prepared to address any acts of impunity, lawlessness and political violence that may occur on polling date and thereafter.