The Algerian National Police will oversee the implementations of the countrywide Closed-circuit television (CCTV), camera installation program in Uganda.
The video surveillance platform is one of the several benefits for Uganda under a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Algerian Police and Uganda Police Force. The others are Human Resource Management, canine training and management, ICT development, Forensics and Traffic control.
Police Spokesperson Asan Kasingye says Algeria is much ahead of Uganda in very many areas including the CCTV surveillance which government has prioritized next financial year.
“Algeria will give technical advice to help implement the CCTV Project as well as other projects to which Uganda will benefit,” Kasingye said shortly after a bilateral meeting held at the police headquarters in Kampala.
Algeria has already sent a liaison officer who will coordinate the programs. Controller Salim Baba who is at the level of a Police Director will handle the technical beat of the implementation of the CCTV Camera installation. It is however still unknown when of the project will begin given that it remains under the unfunded priorities for the 2017/2018 financial year.
Police working with other stakeholders including the Ministries of Security, ICT, Information and Internal Affairs need 203 billion Shillings to purchase the video Surveillance cameras and install them in Kampala Metropolitan policing area, municipalities and along major highways.
The police undersecretary Rogers Muhiirwa last week appeared before the parliamentary committee on Defense and Internal Affairs asking for funding to the CCTV project.
Police began working on the CCTV project in 2013 at the height of the murder of Muslim clerics, but abandoned the project due to lack of resources. However, President Yoweri Museveni directed for the immediate installation of the cameras following the brutal assassination of Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Andrew Felix Kaweesi in March this year.
CCTVs only cover a few areas in Kampala central business district and Entebbe road.
