UN's Insecurity Claims Disputed by Police: Entebbe Expressway and Northern Bypass Confirmed Secure for Travel

A recent travel advisory issued by the United Nations advising its staff to avoid using the Entebbe Expressway and the Northern Bypass due to alleged insecurity has been met with strong opposition from the local authorities.

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 The Ugandan Police have blasted the advisory as malicious and lacking evidence to support the claims of insecurity on Entebbe Expressway and the Northern Bypass after recent travel advisory issued by the United Nations to its staff.

In response to the UN's travel advisory, the Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga, expressed that the UN's department of safety and security failed to provide concrete evidence to back up their assertions.

 He emphasized that the police have been diligently monitoring the security situation on both the Entebbe Expressway and the Northern Bypass, and there is no substantial evidence to suggest any heightened security threats on these roads.

 “The UN department of safety and security says they have several crime incidents yet there hasn’t been any incident registered against any UN staff on Entebbe Expressway and the Northern bypass. We are asking them to share their returns with us and failure to do so, we shall regard their travel advisory as another malicious and openly hostile communication against Ugandans and visitors to the country,” Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga said.
In an advisory dated July, 19, 2023, the UN department for safety and security described Entebbe Expressway as not being safe especially between 11pm and 6am, asking staff to avoid the highway.
“The current security measures stay in place and UN personnel continue to be advised to avoid travelling on the Expressway from Entebbe to Kampala and from Kampala to Entebbe between 2200hrs-0600hrs and are to consider using day flights to and from Entebbe or staying at Entebbe on late night arrival or departure. If travel is absolutely necessary and unavoidable, then both the Kampala and Entebbe SOC are to be informed prior to travel,” the UN said in an advisory to its staff.

While addressing the media on weekly press congress yesterday,  the police spokesperson said in the last six months, there hasn’t been any major crime incident along the Entebbe Expressway, leave alone any involving a UN staff.
He added that only cases of accidents have been involved along the expressway that links the city to Entebbe International Airport but blasted reports of lack of patrols on the road.

“Apart from a few serious traffic related incidents, we have not registered any violent crime incidents along the Entebbe Expressway. We also have three police patrol vehicles dedicated to this highway 24/7. Several motorists have on several occasions reported seeing police presence along this road. We don’t have any hot spots along the highway and we work alongside UNRA and Pinnacle Security to help tackle any security and safety concerns along the road. This road still remains the shortest and safest highway to Entebbe International Airport.” Enanga said.
According to the travel advisory, the UN department of safety and security indicated that there is a resurgence of criminal gangs along the Northern bypass that connects to the Entebbe Expressway.
“Several members of the public have been affected including some UN staff. A joint security team has intensified operations at Busega, Masanafu, Namungoona flyover, NWSC treatment plant at Lubigi, Bwaise, Kaleerwe, Kyebando, Kisaasi, Naalya roundabout and Namboole,” the advisory said, adding that the attacks are orchestrated by youths between 14-25 years

According to Mr. Enanga, the travel advisory was malicious since it provided no evidence to back up the allegations and urged members of the public and visitors to disregard the travel advisory.