HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 501616,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/501616/?format=api",
"text_counter": 170,
"type": "other",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "When you think about the number of military personnel who actually live with us in our own homes and still want to assist us in security, but they cannot do so, because there is no legal infrastructure to enable them to do that. This Bill will do that for them. There are people who have served us very well, they are retired, but they are not tired, and are able to execute responsibilities that they were executing while in the police or military. People who have served in the National Youth Service (NYS) are also very easy to recruit as reservists because they have gone through disciplining processes. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, what we must be careful about is the current situation where we have bandits operating under the guise of police reservists. These people are criminals, but they would come out at night looking like they are protecting us. However, as a matter of fact, they are the ones who attack us. Therefore, the idea of training and vetting is crucial, not just for what is going to happen in future when we create this force, but what is happening currently. The Mover is correctly pointing out the aspects of training, insisting there should be a clear method of recruitment, vetting to check the background of those people and so on. We have had police reservists, particularly in Parklands area in Nairobi, who became so trigger happy that they started shooting everybody who was not identifiable to them, especially those who visited areas frequented by members of other races. Therefore, we need to be very careful with this thing. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, if you go to Uganda, in the evening at 6.00 p.m. you will find a watchman riding his bicycle. On the carrier, he would be carrying a G-3 rifle. They have demystified the whole thing about guns. There are those who think that we need to remove guns from the reservists, I think this is a question of training them so that they are conscious of the fact that a gun is a protective weapon, but it is also dangerous. I put it to Members of this House that if in one street in Buruburu Estate, for example, thugs were aware that every watchman has a rifle, there would be no theft. Nobody wants to die. Therefore, nobody will steal when they know that people have guns. The reason important personalities in this country ask for police protection is not because of the uniform, but because of a gun. This is what protects Sen. Kajwang. A uniform alone is not protection; the man in the uniform has a weapon. The trick is not in the uniform, but in training and arming. I agree with the previous speakers, including Sen. Wetangula, that there must be infrastructure where these people are able to store those weapons in a manner that they cannot be misused by thieves. What this creates is what Henry Kissinger coined as “detoned” among thieves and protectors. When you know very well that those you are going to steal from can protect themselves or when you know that those who you are going to attack are capable of attacking you back, then you will be in a situation called detoned; where nobody attacks another. Therefore, I support this move completely. As far as training is concerned, I would urge that a huge aspect of training be humanitarian. The reservists must not become “them” against civilians. They must be part of the civilians so that they can deal with them in a much more inclusive and human manner. However, more importantly, they must integrate themselves in the community and influence behaviour. I agree with those who are saying that the way to eradicate radicalism in our country is to have a two- The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}