A group of lawmakers from the East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) will today commence a three-day oversight exercise of the country’s police centres of excellence.
The members of the Committee on Regional Affairs and Conflict Resolution will start their visit with a courtesy call on Acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli at his office in Jogoo B House.
Speaking to The Star, Leader of the delegation Hon Zipporah Kering said apart from assessing the performance and functioning of the centres of excellence, they will also examine how security agencies are cooperating to address cross-border crime within the East African Community (EAC) region.
“The EAC region is facing a growing threat from terrorism and violent extremism.
It is becoming a hub for new trafficking routes, with criminal groups using advanced technologies and digital means. We aim to find ways to counter these threats,” noted Kering.
The delegation whose members include Hassan Omar, Suleiman Shabal and their South Sudan counterpart Gabriel Aher will also investigate any challenges related to policing and assess the legal and institutional frameworks for joint operations, such as hot pursuit and the extradition of criminals.
“We will look into any difficulties in executing policing duties and assess the legal regime and institutional framework to improve joint operations in the region,” added Kering.
In addition to the delegation’s visit, four other sub-committees from the same regional house team are conducting similar oversight activities in Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Burundi.
“After completing our separate committee visits, we will prepare a joint report with findings and recommendations to enhance security surveillance and counter illicit cross-border activities, which will be presented to the Assembly,” explained Kering.
According to the committee’s schedule, the delegation will visit the CID Training School on Wednesday morning and the Police Airwing/Aviation Centre of Excellence in the afternoon.
On Thursday, they will tour the Police Centre of Counter Terrorism.