Security chiefs meet over Uganda vs Senegal game

A cross-section of fans at Namboole. Security is tighter in the wake of the recent terror threats

By Steven Candia

Top security chiefs are holding a series of meetings to chart a way on how to bolster security at this weekend's highly billed football clash between Uganda and Senegal in the wake of the recent terror threats.

Talks were held Tuesday at Mandela national stadium between top police officers, personnel from Internal Security Organization (ISO), Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) the Military Police (MP) and officials from both the Federation of Uganda Football Association (FUFA) and the National Council of Sports (NCS).

Uganda hosts Senegal on Saturday in a World Cup qualifiers crucial encounter at Namboole stadium.

Uganda Police recently raised an alert as it launched a major hunt for three top terror suspects - Martin Muller a.k.a. Ahmed Khaled Andreas, Emrah Erdogan a.k.a. Imraan, Al-Kurdy a.k.a. Salahaddin Al-Kurdy and another who is believed to have sneaked into the country onboard a Kalita bus from Kenya, just before the just concluded annual martyr's day celebrations.

One terror suspect, not part of the three, only identified as Hussein and believed by security sources to be a top Al-Shabaab/Al-Qeada link man has been arrested.

The suspect was arrested during the weekend. By Tuesday there were no details as to whether any more arrests had been made.

In a brief Tuesday, Kampala Metropolitan Police boss Andrew Kaweesi said, "my deputy (Farouk Muyirima) attended the meeting together with other officials from sister security agencies, FUFA and NCS.

“It was a security planning meeting ahead of the international football match, taking into consideration the recent terror threats and general crime."

Also in attendance were senior police officers drawn from the traffic and anti-riot police for purposes of traffic and public order management on that day.

It was also agreed that no bodabodas [commuter motorcycles] will be allowed to access the stadium premises and no liquids or unauthorized weapons will be allowed into the stadium.

"Last year for the qualifier game against, Kenya Police deployed about 4,000 personnel and this time it cannot be any less than what we had the last time. It can only be better. The issue is to make sure that we do not have any security hitch during the event," Kaweesi said.