Private security firms spent Saturday morning hours bailing guards and vehicles out of police custody, despite being listed as essential service providers during National Cleaning Day.
During the implementation of National Cleaning Day, all motorists including those in vehicles, on motorcycles, and bicycles found on the roads at 7:00 a.m. had their means of transport impounded. Others who pleaded with the heavily deployed police officers were ordered to park by the roadside until the exercise ended at the stipulated time of 10:00 a.m.
Among those affected were private security guards and their vehicles. Most of the guards were traveling for morning deployments, while others returning from the night shifts, when some were arrested or forced to clean at various points, while their vehicles were impounded along the way.
For instance, a Calvary Security truck in Najeera-Kira was stopped by the police officers and parked at the Najjera Police post with guards returning from night duty and others heading for deployment, and forced to stay at the police and wait until 10:00 a.m. before boarding the truck and proceeding.
Several other trucks carrying private guards at Clock Tower, along Jinja Road and other areas were also stopped and forced to park. Police officers directed the guards to join the cleaning exercise as they waited until 10:00 am to proceed.
This was done despite Friday communication from Uganda Police, without clasfication, stated that security personnel, and their vehicles heading for duty, were among the groups exempted during National Cleaning Day hours.
Assan Kasingye, the retired AIGP and founder of Tayali Security Limited, said that although security was exempted, they received numerous complaints of security guards and vehicles from private security firms were stopped and forced to clean before proceeding to their deployment sites. “It is not fair to clients who need guards before National Cleaning Day. Banks, forex bureaus, shopping malls and schools also need guards in place before work starts,” Kasingye said.
John Bosco Musomeke, a supervisor with another security company, said some of their guards were arrested in areas of Jinja and Mpigi as they attempted to reach their deployment stations on time.
He said some of them were released after the National Cleaning hours ended. He said, it had affected operations, and clients were calling the company complaining.”You see, when such delays involve private security guards, it can easily affect the safety and operations of essential institutions like banks, malls and other businesses,” Musomeke said.
“The directive should be implemented in a way that promotes cleanliness without compromising security responsibilities of security companies.”In response to the complaints, Police Spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke said they had received the reports and had directed all police commanders on the ground to allow private security guards to pass.
Apart from private guards, journalists were also not mentioned in the police statement among the personnel exempted from movement during National Cleaning Day hours, despite the critical nature of their work. Police said more groups will be highlighted in subsequent statements on exemptions during the implementation of National Cleaning Day, taking place every last Saturday’s of a month.
Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja said Saturday that while there were concerns about the rush to implement National Cleaning Day without clear guidelines, the guidelines were already in place and would be published soon. URN