New Security Procedures for Petrol Service Stations in Kampala City Announced

The Uganda Petroleum Dealers Association has issued new security procedures, for Fuel service stations in Kampala city.
Service stations are high cash flow businesses, situated in busy traffic areas, and exposed to a high incidence of crime like armed robberies, theft and drive offs.
In recent months, there has been an increase in the frequency of armed robberies which has posed serious risks to the safety of the staff, and the security guards.
The association's chairman, Rajni Taylor, says the new guidelines are aimed to alert service stations to the potential risks of crime and to provide information on how the risk can be minimized and managed.
Taylor says all service stations must create premises that are safe and secure from crime for all persons that are legitimately on the premises at any time.
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Under the new procedures, all petrol service stations will create security cash containers where money in excess of 100,000 shillings, is stored until it is taken to the bank.
Taylor says that Service stations operating on a 24-hour basis must ensure that the security guards are deployed on a rotational basis to ensure that no security guard is deployed at one petrol station for a whole week. The association also wants private security firms to equip their guards with other security skills that will not require them to carry guns.
The association also wants all petrol station operators to ensure that there are no Boda boda cyclists, special hire drivers or idlers hanging around the stations to pave way for clear visibility at the station premises.
Some fuel stations have started implementing the new guidelines. Julius Ayebazibwe, the Shell Bukoto station manager, says he ensures that security guards are changed.
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Simon Katinda, a manager at Gapco station near Clock Tower, says they have hired a supervisor to check on pump attendants do not hold money in excess of 100,000 and ensure they deposit the money in the safe.
Meanwhile, some pump attendants who operate beyond midnight, are in fear for their lives and have asked to be allowed to stop work at midnight.
Robert Mayanja, a Pump attendant at Gapco petrol station near clock tower, says many times he has been confronted with armed drivers who either give him fake money, or drive off without paying after fuelling their cars.
But Taylor says it would be difficult for service stations to stop operating at midnight because that would affect their profit margins.