3,000 police vehicles, motorcycles grounded

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | More than 3,000 police vehicles and motorcycles are grounded. It is alleged that out of 9,226 police fleet as presented in police achievements report, over 3,600 vehicles and motorcycles are grounded.

“The figure was based on purchase records for more than 15 years ago. But the fact is that several vehicles and motorcycles are in bad mechanical conditions and have been grounded for a long time. We have several trucks, double cabins, yamaha motorcycles and APCs rotting at Namanve workshop and various police stations,” a senior police officer said.

It is reported that when MPs visited police headquarters last week, they were led to various workshops where they found several grounded vehicles and motorcycles. The MPs included among others Bunyole West MP James Waluswaka and Florence Namayanja, MP for Bukoto East County.

Waluswaka says that the government has not provided enough money for the maintenance of the vehicles.

Police sources said most of the currently used vehicles except for directors were donated by Justice Law and Order Sector –JLOS, embassies and Non-Governmental Organisations. These include motorcycles, double cabins and pick ups.

“Most of the new motorcycles you see being used by police stations were donated by JLOS and ambassadors. The motorcycles and vehicles purchased by police just need repairs to get back on the roads but we don’t have money,” the police source said.

The police spokesperson, Fred Enanga, could not be reached for a comment as he said he was in a security meeting. Police sources added that all police vehicles and motorcycles that have been involved in accidents are also grounded even when they need minor servicing and repairing.

Traffic police records of 2019 show 234 police trucks and vehicles were involved in accidents.

However, this declined by 12 percent compared to 268 police vehicles involved in road carnage in 2018. Most of the BMW motorcycles formerly used by traffic police officers and some ambulances are also among the ground fleet.

According to a report on the police achievements compiled by the former director research and planning, Edward Osiru Ochom and Police’s Political Commissariat Asan Kasingye, the force’s fleet has grown to 9,226 up down from 7,410 since 2017.

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