Questions linger over Uganda's show of might
By Gaaki Kigambo Special Correspondent
Posted Saturday, July 5 2014 at 15:07

UPDF soldiers and police forces patrol streets in Kampala with a
tactical operation vehicle on July 3, 2014 after the US embassy in
Uganda issued a warning of an impending attack. AFP PHOTO
In Summary
Police say that while it is their practice to share information with
the embassy, the information in their possession had not been
thoroughly processed. The EastAfrican understands a combined force
comprising the army, police and other un-uniformed security people
were deployed two hours before the embassy sent out the emergency
message.
Questions are emerging over Uganda's show of force last week in
response to an alleged terrorist attack threat after the police denied
they were the primary source of detailed information to the US embassy
that included where and at what time the terrorists planned to attack.
Contacted for comment, Daniel Travis, the embassy's public affairs
officer, said they stood by the statement they sent out.
Fred Enanga, the police spokesperson, said while it is their practice
to share information with the embassy, the information in their
possession had not been thoroughly processed.
"It didn't warrant an alert but they deemed it important enough to
inform their citizens. Was the airport attacked at the time that was
given? We insist the intelligence is still being processed and when we
are confident that we need to alert the public to any risk we shall do
so," Mr Enanga told The EastAfrican.
"The police, together with other security agencies, continuously, and
on a daily basis, focus on the threat of terrorism and evaluate
information relating to any possible attacks in the country," he
added.
On Thursday, July 3, the embassy issued an emergency notice to
Americans residing in Uganda saying it had "received information from
the Uganda Police Force that according to intelligence sources there
was a specific threat to attack Entebbe International Airport by an
unknown terrorist group," on that day between 9 and 11pm.
READ: United States warns of threat to Entebbe International Airport
There was no attack at the airport on Thursday. On Friday, the police
arrested two people it suspected were terrorists at a shopping mall in
Kampala but later released them without charges.
In earlier statements on the incident, the duo, one of whom the police
claimed was a man dressed as a woman, had been trailed right from
their arrival at Entebbe International to the shopping mall two
kilometres east of downtown Kampala.
The embassy further advised anybody who planned to travel on that day
to review their plans in light of this information; review their
personal security plans; maintain a high level of vigilance and take
appropriate steps to enhance their personal security.
In what appears to be a response to this notice, on the same day a
combined force comprising the army, police and other un-uniformed
security people poured onto the streets in Kampala dressed in
camouflage, battle helmets and brandishing sophisticated weaponry,
including sniper rifles.
The EastAfrican understands they were deployed two hours before the
embassy sent out the emergency message.
Screenings
The joint force instituted single file patrols, took over security
screenings in the Central Business District and other business
premises considered vulnerable to attack, cordoned off some areas, and
conducted full body searches of everyone who was heading to and from
the airport.
Curiously, however, the police, too, issued a statement on Thursday in
which they said they did not give any specific information to the
American embassy.
"As the public knows, whenever there is an imminent terror threat in
the country, the police issues terror alerts. Had we found it that
there was such information that warranted warning against travelling
using Entebbe International Airport, we would have issued an alert,"
the statement reads.
On Saturday, June 28, while passing out 49 Civil Aviation Authority
officers at the Police Training School in Masindi District, Inspector
General of Police Kale Kayihura reportedly said security readiness at
the airport was far below acceptable standards.
"We are sitting on a time bomb. At night, there are no security
lights. Someone can shoot without our officers seeing him," the Daily
Monitor quoted him as saying.
General Kayihura is said to have added that the airport operates with
outdated equipment. Again, the police public relations office quickly
issued a statement to say while the airport had technical weaknesses
it was "safe and secure due to very good human and technical
capacities."
READ: Uganda beefs up security at all borders
Next Friday, July 11, will mark four years since the day terrorists
linked to Al Shabaab bombed Kampala's Kyadondo Rugby Club and the
Ethiopian Village Restaurant during the final game of the football
World Cup. They killed 78 people and injured many others.
While police made arrests, nobody has been brought to book yet.
http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/Uganda-police-disown-US-alert-on-Entebbe-attack-/-/2558/2373014/-/5ql9uc/-/index.html
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