President Museveni has ordered Inspector General of Police (IGP) Martin Okoth Ochola to embark on the publication of a manual providing guidance to armed officers on proper use of fire arms.
According to Museveni, this manual in booklet form should be out not later than October 15.
The manual he said must entail all the steps that an officer must observe before discharging his fire arm in public.
This comes after following the violence that marred the NRM primary elections recently in which at least 6 people were killed by security personnel.
“I am writing to direct you to stop the random shootings by the LDUs and Police, all under the command of Police,” wrote Museveni.
He added, “There was shooting dead of one person in Katakwi, one person in Bugiri, two people in Isingiro etc. Analysis of these shootings shows that many, if not all, of the shootings were unnecessary.
In Katakwi,civilians were fighting among themselves during elections. Why shoot them? Why not scare them by shooting in the air or simply arresting them?”
“It is said that in Bugiri, some members of the Public, stoned the armed personnel. That was bad. However, shooting to kill should not have been the first option. They should have identified the stone thrower and arrested him for prosecution,” the letter further reads.
The President also noted that the Public Order Management law sets out the conditions to be followed by an armed officer including the following;
Mores so the Standing Orders of riot control requires an officer to first engage Diplomacy-telling them to disperse; Proclamation by using hand-held micro-phones to warn them to disperse; and informing them of his intention to use forceful means.
The Officer is also required to use non-lethal means like teargas, shields, or live bullets in the air among others.
Read the full letter bellow;
