By Swaibu Busiku
The Director of Crime Intelligence in the Uganda Police Force, Brigadier General Christopher Damulira on Tuesday visited Mbale’s’ ghettos to follow up on the presidential directive on matters of ghetto youths mobilizing them to form SACCOS in what appears as a move to mitigate crime in slum communities.
The visited ghettos include; Mbale garage,Namatala, Nkoma, Mooni and Busaja bwakuba.
During the meeting, Damulira argued that most crimes are perpetuated by the youths being idle and living in poverty.
“The president has decided that we work hand in hand to elevate the Ghetto, he realized that the ghetto dwellers are so much utilized by politicians, so the message I have for these youth, is to listen to what the president is telling them and also desist from politics but focus on the issues that would elevate them out of poverty”
“The president realized that most government programs in place are not benefiting the ghetto youths, programs like NAADS, YLP, Emyooga, PDM, that’s why we the coordinators are not sleeping, so the state house decided that let the ghetto dwellers also have their own program,” Says Damulira
According to Damulira, the easiest way to reduce crime in the society is by elevating the youths out of poverty. He urged them to form ghetto SACCO’s.
Asumin Nasike, the Mbale Resident City Commissioner Says this is a special programs that will see youths elevated out of poverty through mobilizing them to come together by forming SACCOs for purposes of development and security in the region.
“Aware that this is a presidential directive, so government is coming in to ensure we implement the ghetto youths structure and policy, so for the purposes of development and security of our region, the government has come in to address these youths” states Asumin
Yahaya Were the Deputy RCC for Northern City Division commended the president for rescuing the ghetto youths in mindset change in an attempt to drive away poverty and crime amongst the youths.
This is a generation where the youths are a majority, it’s time to change their mindset to see that they transit from using drugs and crime to joining the money economy through government programs like PDM, Emyoga, YLP or Grow, we have witnessed most of the youths being used by politicians just because they are unemployed, so we are endeavoring to mobilize them to see that development is seen in slams”. Says Were.
