Museveni's security response to attacks on Chinese investors in Uganda

Uganda’s president, Yoweri Museveni has instructed the police and army to beef up the security of investors in industrial parks, following recent attacks on Chinese construction workers.

The president, who met the Chinese ambassador to Uganda, H.E Zheng Zhu Quiang on Tuesday, said the urban crime problem that has plagued his government in the past few years ‘is only temporary’.

‘‘I have directed the CDF and the IGP to beef up deployment in industrial parks, set up joint coordination councils between the investors and security forces to find a localized and non-political solution for these concerns,’‘ said Museveni.

The Chinese envoy had expressed concerns over recent attacks on construction workers and investors in the districts of Mukono, Mityana and Zirobwe.

The president however told him that that ‘the security of Uganda is very good, but urban insurgency was not paid attention to.’

‘‘Tell the Government of China that I am personally handling this issue,’‘ Museveni reassured.

Urban crime that has taken on the form of political assassinations, kidnap and murder of women and now attacks on investors has bedeviled Museveni’s government in recent years.

READ MORE: Drones, gun fingerprints and tighter social media regulation: Museveni’s security planSecuring the Chinese

Having met with the country’s top security officials including the police boss and head of the army;

• Museveni issued a directive for the formation of an operational security committee that would coordinate with the Chinese community.
• There will be deployment of area-to-area security operations with at least twelve armed officers in industrial park zones.
• Four policemen should be deployed to isolated factories.
• Corrupt police officers should be ‘removed’, to make way for young people who are looking for jobs.

The president also advised the Chinese to desist from keeping large sums of money in their factories, saying this could attract robbers.