Security for Uganda's Largest
Music Events
G4S in Uganda has been tasked by Diageo to provide security for a series of music gigs and festivals run by its subsidiary, Uganda Breweries Limited. With Risk 360 (risk assessment software), it is able to monitor the security threat level at every event in real-time and spot emerging trends.
25 Jan 2023
While Uganda is largely a peaceful country, street crime is high and gangs can try to target young people on their way home after a night out.
Diageo’s Uganda Breweries events are a series of music gigs and festivals which take place at multiple locations, from Kampala’s garden rooftops and cricket stadium to Lake Victoria’s beaches.
Some attract as many as 25,000 people - the largest crowds ever assembled in the country for a music event.
“This is a really exciting partnership for us. Not only are no two events the same but some are on a scale that have not been seen before, so security for these events is no small feat,” said Allen Ssebugwawo, Managing Director of G4S in Uganda.
“Our role is also much broader than an operational one where we just turn up on the day. We’ve been entrusted with all stakeholder management regarding security for these events, including at government level.”
Risk assessment
Each event is meticulously planned for and can involve many weeks of preparation, which Yusuf Marahi, Head of Events Security at G4S in Uganda, leads on.
His starting point is to conduct a risk assessment so that he can gauge how many security personnel and resources are required to safely deliver the event. Factors he will weigh up include the venue, size of the crowd, and local and national threat level.
Yusuf then convenes and leads a meeting with different stakeholders, including various police forces and the emergency services. He briefs everyone on the security requirements and the group will sign off on the risk assessment.
Roles and responsibilities for each stakeholder will also be agreed and the relevant permissions and approvals from government departments will be sought.
His starting point is to conduct a risk assessment so that he can gauge how many security personnel and resources are required to safely deliver the event. Factors he will weigh up include the venue, size of the crowd, and local and national threat level.
Yusuf then convenes and leads a meeting with different stakeholders, including various police forces and the emergency services. He briefs everyone on the security requirements and the group will sign off on the risk assessment.
Roles and responsibilities for each stakeholder will also be agreed and the relevant permissions and approvals from government departments will be sought.
Risk 360
In the days leading up to the event Yusuf will use Risk 360, a software application developed by G4S, to carry out a final risk assessment.
He will input information on the personnel and equipment he is planning to use for the event, then a report will be generated that checks if adequate resources have been set aside based on the crime trends in a particular location or industry.
Risk 360 is used during the event to log any incidents that occur whether they are minor or not. This allows the threat level to be monitored in real-time so that appropriate action can be taken as and when required. Customers can also see what is happening and be kept informed of the latest developments, making the security process completely transparent.
“Risk 360 has been an invaluable resource for us. Without it, we wouldn’t have noticed an increasing trend of mobile phone robberies happening outside venues,” said Yusuf. “While we’re only responsible for security inside the venue, we were able to inform the police of the need to step up their presence to prevent more of these thefts from happening.”
Since the start of 2022, the team has provided security for 22 Uganda Breweries Ltd events, which nearly 62,000 people have attended. “We’re really proud to have been given responsibility to safely deliver the largest music events in Uganda. Thanks to our in-house expertise and access to the latest technology, we’ve demonstrated why we’re the go-to company for event security in Uganda,” Allen says.