The State Minister for Internal Affairs, Gen David Muhoozi, has urged CID officers to improve and speed up their investigation skills to match the high crime rate in Uganda, Spyreports has learnt.
Gen Muhoozi made the remarks while presiding over the pass-out of over 300 CID officers at the Police ICT School in Kikandwa, Wakiso District. The officers, who were picked from CID, Forensics, Canine, and PSU, spent one month training in various skills.
Gen Muhoozi said that the rate at which cybercrime is growing in Uganda requires a high speed of investigation. “You all know what happened at our Bank of Uganda—people stole 60 billion in just 60 seconds. So if you are to get them, you must also quickly investigate the matter,” said Gen Muhoozi. He added that in order to carry out quick investigations, officers must have a comprehensive mindset.
He also emphasized the importance of continuous training to improve investigation skills. “Big cases have died due to poor investigating skills, which is a result of lack of training,” said Gen Muhoozi. He added that CID must be effective in forensic and cyber training, and that officers must also train in criminal justice. “There is still a lack of criminal justice in Uganda, which also needs more training,” he said, adding that if there is justice, the country will be peaceful and stable. “The main role of police is to provide peace and security, and CID plays a very big role in that field.”
The Inspector General of Police, IGP Abbas Byakagaba, said he is focused on fighting crime. “CID plays a very big role in fighting crime by investigating criminal cases properly,” he said, adding that crime scenes must be handled carefully. He also mentioned that consistent training helps impart ideological skills to officers. IGP Byakagaba assured the nation that the police are well-prepared to deliver a peaceful election. “By the critical time, we shall have all the personnel and logistics ready to handle the elections,” he assured. He also revealed that the police will soon recruit 10,000 constables to strengthen the manpower needed for a peaceful election.
The Director of CID, Tom Magambo, said that he has achieved a mindset change among CID officers, which has improved investigations. “With a good mindset, we have placed the right people in the right places,” said Mr. Magambo, adding that CID will now focus on getting proper working tools.
He also pointed out that lack of teamwork had been hindering investigations. “These people didn’t know each other, and that affected our investigations. But now that they’ve met and trained together from different units, that bond will improve the quality of investigations,” he said.
Mr. Magambo echoed the IGP’s commitment to ensuring peaceful elections, regardless of political differences. “These officers have acquired enough skills to handle all elections, no matter the political color,” he said. He also encouraged the officers to remain patient and work hard as they await promotions.
