KAMPALA- The United States Mission in Uganda is warning of the possibility of a “Westgate-style” terrorist attack in Kampala anytime.
In a security alert issued on Tuesday, October 15, the embassy says it “continues to assess reports that a Westgate-style attack may soon occur in Kampala.”
Embassy officials are sharing all information with the Ugandan authorities, according to the alert, and “at this time, there is no further information on timing, and or, location of this attack.”
On September 21, masked armed men during a daring midday raid burst into the showpiece Westgate mall in Nairobi, Kenya, shooting weekend shoppers indiscriminately as they rummaged through the shopping centre’s four floors.
The dramatic hostage-taking - now a subject of inquiries by the Kenyan government after reports emerged about a number of alleged security flaws prior, during and after the siege - was testing for Kenyan security forces as the gunmen held fort for four days and allegedly slipped away undetected after killing more than 60 people and injuring hundreds.
Uganda Police on Wednesday, October 16, confirmed receiving the US embassy alert which has since triggered a deluge of emergency security measures.
According to spokesperson of the force, Ms Judith Nabakooba, the Inspector General of Police Kale Kayihura constituted a multi-agency ad hoc committee, comprising private security organisations, to review operational security procedures at all public places.
New guidelines
Screening of shoppers and guests at major malls and hotels had been heightened in the immediate wake of the Nairobi attack, but relaxed soon after.
On Wednesday night, Ms Nabakooba said they issued new guidelines for more thorough search of individuals and motorists, including physical frisking and sifting through baggage.
Members of the Al Shabaab, taking advantage of lax screening, in 2010 killed more than 80 people when they exploded two bombs in Kampala ostensibly to avenge Uganda’s military operations against them in Somalia since March 2007. The militants gave similar reason for striking on Westgate.
Under the new security guidelines Uganda police issued, private guards have been directed to provide at the gate safe firearm storage facilities and issue owners a reclaim slip so that no one accesses a crowded place with weapons.
Ms Nabakooba said they met with owners of private security organisations again on Monday to hammer out other operation procedures in emergency situations, including deploying an armed rapid reaction force outside public facilities.
The guards, the police spokesperson said, were instructed to begin using sniffer dogs to probe suspect luggage, install walk-through metal detectors and properly-functioning hand-held equipment as well as under-car mirrors to detect explosives.
In its Tuesday alert primarily for US citizens, the embassy said it is monitoring the evolving situation and will promptly alert on “any credible, specific information about this and any other potential threats”.
“We again take this opportunity to remind the (US) community to exercise vigilance and to avoid public venues that attract large crowds,” the statement said.
The US warning follows one Mr Kayihura issued early this month about the re-entry into the country of suspected terrorist, Ahmed Khaled alias Mueller.
The police, however, came on the spot over probable recycled information after this newspaper’s detected an unexplained word-for-word repetition in the Force’s account on Mueller both its January 2012 and October 3, 2013 alerts.
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