A group of legislators from the East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) will begin a three-day oversight visit to the country’s police centres of excellence on Tuesday.
The Committee on Regional Affairs and Conflict Resolution will kick off their visit with a courtesy call on Acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli at his office in Jogoo B House.
Zipporah Kering, the leader of the delegation, stated that their review will not only evaluate the performance and operations of these centres but also assess how security agencies are collaborating to tackle cross-border crime within the East African Community (EAC) region.
“The EAC region is increasingly threatened by terrorism and violent extremism, and is becoming a new hub for trafficking routes, with criminal groups leveraging advanced technologies and digital means. We aim to identify strategies to counter these threats,” Kering explained.
The delegation will also look into challenges related to policing and evaluate the legal and institutional frameworks supporting joint operations, including hot pursuit and the extradition of criminals.
“We will investigate any difficulties in executing policing duties and assess the legal and institutional frameworks to enhance regional joint operations,” Kering added.
In addition to this delegation’s visit, four other sub-committees from the same regional body are conducting similar oversight in Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Burundi.
“Following our separate visits, we will compile a joint report with findings and recommendations to improve security surveillance and combat illicit cross-border activities, which will be presented to the Assembly,” Kering noted.
As per the committee’s schedule, the delegation will visit the DCI Training School on Wednesday morning and the Police Airwing/Aviation Centre of Excellence in the afternoon, followed by a tour of the Police Centre of Counter Terrorism.
The police have implemented various measures to address threats, particularly at the borders, though cross-border crimes continue to pose challenges for the region.
