Security guards Arrested for denying Vendors access to Kabale Market

By Jane Elizabeth Umutangana

KABALE- The Kabale district deputy RDC Ronald Bakaki has today ordered two representatives of Ruhaama Veterans (U) LTD Security company and the chairperson of the Kabale Owino market vendors to make a statement at Kabale central police station after conniving to close Kabale Owino market gates not allowing in vendors to do their daily activities.

The two are the Manager Ruhaama Veterans (U) LTD Security Company Mr Bawereena Denis, Major Jima Rwampiji and the chairperson of the Owino market vendors Mr Kyarikora Herbert

Addressing the three at their office in kigongi central division Kabale Municipality, Bakaki said that the Kabale police had earlier in the morning 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 reopen for the vendors before they received a call from their bosses.

Bakak said that he is worried about the Ruhaama Veterans (U) LTD Security Company if it has someone who is technical to advise before making an order.

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 can order them saying that they cannot legalize an illegality, as the principal role here is to keep and promote security and implement lawful orders, let’s go with what your deployment Officer.

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

However, in their defense, the Manager Ruhaama Veterans (U) LTD Security company Bawereena Denis 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 Herbert for having instructed him to close the Owino market gates before they today morning paid them an amount of 800,000shs leaving behind a balance of 1,240,000.

The Kabale Owino market vendors led by their speaker Niwagaba Constance and Byaruhanga Emmanuel commonly known as Makanika pinned the market leadership for having forcefully contracted the Ruhaama Veterans (U) LTD Security company which was more expensive before chasing away the security company which had sticks and which had been recruited by the Kabale Municipal council and being paid.

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

It’s from this point, that the Municipal authorities withdrew the security company it had contracted to provide security for the market before guaranteeing the leaders to go and hire the 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 contacted the role, they have never stopped paying 7000 each per month to the Kabale Municipality for security

The chairperson of the Owino market vendors Kyarikora Herbert and her vice Niwandinda said that they resolved that those whose businesses are boosting pay 5000 shillings and 3000 for those small-scale businesses.

They added 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 Bakaki Ronald, the manager confessed that they are being paid 900,000shs per month contradicting with the chairman who claims that they pay 1.2m per month.

This is a second scenario for the same company which previously employed a security guard, whose bicycle was stolen from the office and the company declined to compensate him up to now

It’s from this point where Ronald Bakaki doubted it’s competence to provide security for their clients if one can steal a bicycle from their office.