KENYA BOASTS OF BEING THE "BIG BROTHER" OF THE EAST AFRICA COMMUNITY BUT THIS IS NOT IMPORTANT AT ALL.

Below is a comment from Mr. Kimanga on a post titled "Kenyan Forensic Science Association" dated Friday, May 16, 2008.

This post generated numerous comments and I thank you all who commented.

Mr. Kimanga I do concur, as far as Forensic capacity is concerned the big brother is still snoozing away. If Uganda can develop this referral capacity in the region we shall all benefit. We support you.

Mr. Kimanga's Comment is as below.

Kenya boasts of being the "big brother" of the East Africa Community but this is not important at all. When the big brother is still sleeping in a comfort zone, the little one is out and about making it big. Check out this............(see below article)

Kenya needs to wake up to the plain reality, just a word.


Courtesy of Sunday Nation 25/03/02

UGANDA BIDS TO HOST REGIONAL FORENSIC CENTRE

By AL-MAHDI SSENKABIRWA Sunday Nation Correspondent in Kampala (assenkabirwa@ug.nationmedia.com)
Posted Saturday, March 24 2012 at 19:27

Uganda has begun lobbying forensic experts from East African member states to support its bid to host the bloc’s referral forensic centre.

Addressing regional forensic experts in Kampala on March 21, Uganda’s Criminal Investigations Director, Ms Grace Akullo, said the police force has a modern forensic laboratory that can handle all criminal investigation challenges in the region.

“I am strongly convinced that our forensic department is better than others in the region and we are better placed to host the referral forensic centre,” she said.

“The political will is there to improve it further so that it matches international standards.”

As part of effort to strengthen forensic research, Ms Akullo said the police plans to acquire a fingerprint machine and integrate ICT in investigating cyber crimes.

Plans are also underway to elevate the department to a directorate to attract more funding.

The forensic experts, led by the officer in charge of peace and security at the EAC Secretariat, Mr Didacus B Kaguta, are in Uganda to assess the country’s readiness to host the Regional Referral Forensic Centre.

The team includes one forensic expert from each EAC member state and two from Britain and Germany.

Uganda and Rwanda are seen as the frontrunners to host the regional facility given the existence of modern forensic centres in both countries.

The RRFC is a brainchild of the Council of East African Police Chiefs which, among other duties, addresses challenges in investigations, and strengthens forensic services and criminal justice departments.

It also aims to ensure that EAC member states have harmonised forensic centres.

The team has since visited the police forensic department in Naguru, a Kampala suburb, and will compile a report to be presented at the next Sectoral Council on Inter-State Security meeting for a final decision.

Currently, regional governments spend huge amounts of money on forensic tests that are carried out abroad, mostly in South Africa and the UK.

Furthermore, several criminal cases have been thrown out of court due to poor gathering of forensic evidence. Trained forensic personnel are also few and far between.

For example, Uganda has only 70 scene-of-crime officers (Socos) who investigate the at least 99,676 criminal cases reported at police stations annually.

Mr Kaguta said when the regional forensic centre is established, it will train forensic practitioners as well as disseminate information to all national forensic labs.