Juba – The Ministry of Interior is to campaign against the trade in the uniforms of military and other organized forces in the country, Aleu Ayeng Aleu of the Interior Ministry told Parliament prior to its recess Friday.
Aleu’s statements follow urgent information raised by Joseph Ngere, MP from Western Equatoria, who said some companies have advertised the items on the local media.
According to the advert, Ngere said, “We are making all types of uniforms for police, military and national security.”
He said, “This is an issue of sovereignty and national security. If these people are producing military garments and we have the menace of seeing military garments all over the town and in the country. Who is doing this without control and do we not know who has given them the responsibility to produce these?” Ngere asked.
Ngere added that these traders will expose the parade of the national army in the country if any contract is signed with the traders.
The minister said this is an issue which is a problem in the country though he was not aware but further said it is not only in Kololo but in Jebel one can find all kinds of uniforms being sold.
“Even a regular person sewing in Buluk hangs these up for everybody to buy. We are fighting this.”
Aleu added that it is the source of crimes as people with illicit guns buy these uniforms and use them at night, pretending to be members of the police or national security.
“We have clashed with many of them but sometimes they go unnoticed. I even came across some of them at 11 p.m. while for a dinner in Davinci with the German ambassador.”
According to Aleu, a group of people who were seven in number stopped cars claiming that a driver had knocked a person out near the University of Juba and ran away.
In an earlier interview with the New Nation in 2013, police spokesperson Col. James Monday said they had arrested some members of the organized forces for committing crimes and being prosecuted.
He also said criminals acquire uniforms to use them at night for committing crimes as they pretend to be police officers.
The minister further said the police officers who patrol at night bear labels which allow them to be identified easily.
By Moi Peter Julius