President Yoweri Museveni has cautioned the police, army, and prisons against hiring contractors to build their offices and housing units. Museveni, who addressed the 85th police council at police headquarters on Wednesday, said all security forces should have enough engineers to construct all sorts of houses without spending money on hiring contractors who, in most cases, inflate the costs.
“The police and army should build their own institutional houses instead of relying on contractors, who inflate costs. If security personnel live in barracks, it saves money and improves coordination,” he said. Museveni emphasized the need for self-sustaining initiatives within security institutions. According to Museveni, forces such as the police can set up health centers to reduce medical costs and explore education options for their children within army schools.
He said the spouses of police officers should also engage in income-generating activities within barracks to support their families. Additionally, Museveni encouraged security agencies to embrace modern technology for efficiency.
“In developed countries, officers don’t stand on roads; they sit in command centers monitoring surveillance cameras. These are force multipliers that enhance policing. With forensic analysis, canine units, and CCTV, we can provide effective security within our means,” he said.
Minister for Internal Affairs, Maj Gen (rtd) Kahinda Otafiire, who superintends the police, warned security forces against abusing their authority, emphasizing that no one is above the law and that the right to take life must be exercised with utmost restraint. Otafiire said security forces are not above the law and condemned past instances where some security officers misused their positions to oppress the public instead of protecting them.
“They were supposed to protect the public, but instead, they ended up shielding wrongdoers. If you had a dispute over land, certain individuals would use their ranks to intimidate you. If you had a beautiful wife, they would go to extreme lengths, even resorting to violence to take her. If you owned a nice car, you risked losing your life for it,” Otafiire said.
Otafiire’s warning comes three weeks after six suspected robbers were shot dead at Acacia Avenue and Mawanda Road by covert security officers from Defence Intelligence and Security (DIS) and the Flying Squad Unit.
According to Otafiire, he has agreed with the Inspector General of Police that this kind of thinking has stopped in the force. The minister stressed the sanctity of human life, reminding officers that even the President, who has the authority to sign a death warrant, does so only after receiving counsel from the Prerogative of Mercy Committee.
“The right to take away life is very sacrosanct. Even the President is advised before making such a decision. Life should never be taken cheaply because once you do, you cannot reverse it if you were wrong,” he warned.The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Abas Byakagaba highlighted key achievements, ongoing reforms, and challenges facing the Uganda Police Force.
Byakagaba noted that since the last time the President met with the Police Council in November 2019, significant efforts have been made to strengthen the force’s capacity in combating crime, deploying modern policing technologies, and improving officers’ welfare.
“In line with Your Excellency’s guidance, we have expanded our presence to ensure a quicker response to crime. We have deployed 13 police regions covering 79 districts and 279 sub-counties to bring services closer to the people and enhance security,” Byakagaba said.
According to Byakagaba, the force’s strategic priorities include ensuring security during the forthcoming elections, improving crime detection and response, enhancing officers’ professionalism and welfare, including housing, career development, and health, and strengthening community policing.
“We are prioritizing the improvement of the CCTV surveillance system to ensure its full functionality in crime detection and prevention. Additionally, we plan to recruit 12,000 professional police constables in the 2024/25 financial year to enhance security across the country,” the IGP stated.
The IGP expressed optimism that with continued government support, these issues would be addressed despite the challenges, including manpower shortages and funding gaps. He also commended the strong collaboration between the Uganda Police Force and other security agencies, including the UPDF and intelligence services, in maintaining law and order.