At least 261 police officers attached to Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) have been withdrawn on orders of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Martin Okoth-Ochola.
Police Spokesman, Mr Fred Enanga confirmed the development on Monday.
He told journalists that the IGP wrote to the acting KCCA Executive Director, Mr Andrew Kitaka, a month ago, advising him to devise means of guarding major installations; saying police officers attached to the authority would be withdrawn in a month’s time.
Mr Ochola told Mr Kitaka in the letter that the force was facing manpower shortages in Kampala and wanted the more officers to be deployed at vital places like police stations.
According to Mr Enanga, the IGP clearly indicated in his letter that police would recall 261 officers from KCCA on February 27, 2020 but there was no response from the city authority until the deadline elapsed on Thursday last week.
He added that it’s Mr Kitaka’s failure to respond Mr Ochola to order the leadership of Kampala Metropolitan Police to ensure that all police officers deployed at the homes of KCCA officials and other installations are withdrawn.
He said that police guards who will not be withdrawn are those attached to Mr Kitaka, the deputy executive director, the Lord Mayor and a those guarding the City Hall.
KCCA Spokesperson, Mr Peter Kaujju and Kampala Lord Mayor, Mr Erias Lukwago couldn’t be reached for comment since they could neither pick nor return calls.
Kampala Police Metropolitan Area that covers Kampala City, Wakiso and Mukono districts takes nearly 51 percent of Uganda’s total police personnel.
If the latest statistics are anything to go by, Uganda police force has 41,760 officers. With nearly 51 percent being in Kampala Police Metropolitan Area, it means that more than 20,000 police officers, regardless of their rank, live and work in the region.
Kampala Police Metropolitan Area has 18 policing divisions with a minimum of 250 police officers each.
Sources at Naguru intimated that police were worried of insufficient personnel in Kampala ahead of the political season.
Although police expects 5,000 police trainees at Kabalye Police Training in Masindi to have completed their course to join their team in October, they are reportedly worried about the imminent tense political environment.
“Even other government departments will soon be told to hire private security guards. Kampala currently has fewer numbers of police officers. Every electoral season, Kampala is often supported by newly-trained officers who are deployed as probation officers,” the source at Naguru said.
The Assistant Inspector General of Police, Mr Asan Kasingye, recently said during the female police officer’s conference, that police would recruit an additional 5,000 police officers to get 10,000 cops which they [police force] asked to be recruited in order to fill manpower gaps.
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