A section of residents in Serere District, Teso Sub-region, have urged Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Stephen Ekomu to work closely with police and other security agencies instead of making public statements that could undermine their efforts to maintain peace and security in the district.
The residents say Serere has experienced improved security in recent months, crediting the efforts of police and other security agencies for curbing criminal activities, including rampant killings that previously troubled communities.
Richard Omaido, a resident of Kidetok Town Council, said the reduction in killings was largely due to the hard work of security personnel, particularly police officers who have intensified patrols and made it difficult for criminals to operate freely in villages.
Omaido described Ekomu’s recent media statements accusing police officers in Serere of allegedly extorting money and fish from fishermen as unfortunate, arguing that allegations involving individual officers should not be generalised to the entire police force.
“When I read in the media and listened to radio reports about our RDC accusing police and the district police commander of allegedly collecting money from fishermen, I felt bad. If one or two police officers committed a crime, it does not mean all the others are involved,” Omaido said.
Another resident, Sarah Aguti, from Corners in Serere, said the district had become relatively peaceful because of sustained police patrols and other security interventions.
Aguti argued that if fishermen had reported cases of extortion, the RDC should have referred the matter to the District Police Commander for investigation and appropriate action against the officers implicated instead of publicly criticising the entire police force.
“If it is true that the fishermen went to complain to him about alleged extortion, what he should have done was bring the matter to the attention of the District Police Commander to deal with those particular officers, rather than blackmailing innocent police officers,” she said.
Simon Opolot, another resident, also cautioned Ekomu against undermining police operations, arguing that the RDC should prioritise cooperation with security agencies to sustain peace in the district.
“We should be the ones complaining about police work, but not you again. You are the head of security in the district. By the time you start blaming the police, then you have failed your mandate as RDC,” Opolot said.
The residents called for better coordination between the RDC’s office, police and other security agencies, saying cooperation among security leaders is essential to maintaining the prevailing peace in Serere.
Efforts to obtain a comment from RDC Stephen Ekomu were unsuccessful by the time of publication.
