MPs Call for Audit into Police CCTV Camera Project.
The Defence and internal affairs committee of Parliament has recommended a special audit into the CCTV camera project implemented by the Uganda police force to establish gaps that led to the failure of several cameras to function despite costing taxpayers billions of money.
The committee is concerned that several cameras are dysfunctional and can’t abet crime anymore.
The Committee recommends a special audit of phases I and ll of the project to identify how gaps emerged that currently require UGX 187 billion to be filled before the implementation of Phase lll.
In 2018, the Uganda Police Force started on the installation of Hi-tech circuit television (CCTV) cameras in different areas of the country to assist in the prevention and detection of crime. The project started with Phase One in Kampala metropolitan area and spread to other parts of the country phase two.
However according to the chairperson defense and internal affairs committee of parliament Rosemary Nyakikongoro, they have discovered alot of gaps in the project with several cameras dysfunctional and unable to abet a crime.
The committee discovered that there were gaps in the procurement of CCTV cameras, as specification and the defects liability period aspect were not given enough attention.
Under phase one, Uganda Police installed 3,233 cameras within Kampala Metropolitan Area and and Phase ll involved the installation of 2,446 cameras
in 10 new cities, municipalities, major towns and highways. Now police seeks UGX 261.465 billion to implement the CCTV phase lll project but only UGX 3.907 billion has been provided. However the committee wants a special audit to be done before the third phase is rolled out.
Though CCTV cameras were installed to assist in Prevention of Crime, Crime rate in Uganda is on increase. The 2022 police Annual Crime Report reported an 18% increase in criminality with an additional 35,000 cases in the last year compared to 2021. A total of 231,653 cases recorded in 2022 compared to 196,081 case in 2021.
