Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has called on residents to set up neighbourhood watch groups in response to a recent surge in violent crime.
Speaking at a security meeting in Kakumiro District on Sunday, Ms Nabbanja — who also represents the area as Woman MP — urged communities to organise local surveillance teams to help deter criminals and support security agencies.
Several urban centres across Uganda have reported a rise in machete attacks, killings, armed robberies and sexual violence in recent weeks. Some of the latest cases have been recorded in Kakumiro, the prime minister’s home district.
On 27 February, unidentified attackers raided the home of Geoffrey Masagazi in Kakumiro, injuring four people, including his wife Victoria Namulinde, who later died. Their two young children and a housemaid were also hurt. The injured were taken to Mubende Regional Referral Hospital for treatment.
In a separate incident on Saturday, two more residents — Arthur Vianey Sserunjogi, an employee of MK-KOPA in Kakumiro Town Council, and Shifah Kyaligonza, an elderly resident of Masonde — were seriously wounded.
Ms Nabbanja urged residents to remain vigilant, avoid walking alone at night and report suspicious individuals to authorities. She said neighbourhood watch initiatives would strengthen community surveillance and reduce the vulnerability of households.
She also appealed to bar owners and operators of public venues to be cautious, warning that some suspects may be using such locations to plan attacks.
The prime minister said additional security personnel had been deployed from Kampala, Hoima and within Kakumiro district to help stabilise the situation. The meeting was attended by senior security officials and the resident district commissioner.
Local leaders welcomed the intervention, expressing hope that closer cooperation between communities and security agencies would help restore calm.