Kabale RDC orders private security company to make police statement for closing public market without consent of municipal authorities

By Byamukama Libino

Kabale district deputy RDC Ronald Bakaki has on Monday forced two representatives of Ruhaama Veterans (U) Ltd security company, and the chairperson of Kabale Owino market vendors to make a police statement after conniving to close the market gates, and not to allow in vendors to conduct their daily business activities.

The two are the managers of Ruhaama Veterans (U) Ltd security company Bawereena Denis, Major Jima Rwampiji, and the deployment officer and chairperson of  Owino market vendors Kyarikora Herbert

Addressing the three at their offices in Kigonji central division Kabale Municipality, Bakaki said that police had earlier in the day interviewed the heavily deployed armed Ruhaama Veterans (U) Ltd security guards who admitted to have been deployed by their bosses, and that they were not ready to re-open for the vendors before they received a phone call from their bosses.

Bakaki said that he is worried about the company in question if it has a technical person who advises before any orders are made.

“I just want to justify this, manager, you’re aware that this is a public market which belongs to the Kabale municipal authorities which is supposed to provide security to the vendors. Now if you entered into an agreement with the same market, you must have a concept of the municipality. A security company taking a step to close the market, what was the status of those vendors who had already paid?,” Bakaki questioned.

Bakaki further questioned the private security company officers if they would get hired by someone to go and steal, and get money since a civilian had already ordered them to close the market.

“We cannot legalize an illegality, your principle role here is to keep and promote security and implement lawful orders. Let’s go with what your deployment officer said that the chairperson advised him to close the market, manager, according to you, was that one a rightful advice?, he further questioned.

He further asked the manager if he had a written letter from the chairman ordering him to close the market, and if it was the right procedure for a civilian to order for the temporary closure of a public market.

However, in their defense, the manager of the security company, Bawereena said that he was commanded by his deployment officer Major Jima Rwampiji who also shifted the blame to the chairperson of the Owino market vendors  Kyarikora for having instructed him to close the market gates before they (vendors) paid them an amount of Shs800,000, leaving behind a balance of Shs1,240,000.

Kabale Owino market vendors led by their speaker Niwagaba Constance, and Byaruhanga Emmanuel pinned the market leadership for having forcefully contracted the security company which was more expensive before chasing away the previous security company which had only sticks, and had been recruited by the municipal council.

They added that those who wanted the leadership started stealing among themselves to tarnish the leadership at the time before running to the municipal authorities claiming insecurity in the market.

It’s from this point that the municipal authorities withdrew the security company it had contracted before guaranteeing the leaders to go and hire a private security company which they would pay by themselves without involving the council.

The vendors added that even though the Ruhaama Veterans (U) Ltd security company was contracted for the role, they have never stopped paying Shs7,000 per month to municipality council for security.

Kyarikora and her vice Niwandinda Charity said that there was a lot of insecurity in the market before recruiting the Ruhaama veterans security company, and that a section of vendors who had wanted to bring down their leadership, were championing the criminality.

However, according to the RDC, the manager of the private security company admitted that they are being paid Shs900,000 per month contradicting the chairperson who claims that they pay Shs1.2m monthly.

Owino market has a total number of 400 vendors, and out of that, only 114 pay money for the security services.