MPs oppose UGX 7.5Bn budget for new sub-county police posts

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Parliament’s Budget Committee has opposed a Shillings 7.5 billion budget request by the Uganda Police Force to construct police posts at sub-county level in order to secure funds for the Parish Development Model (PDM).

The proposed budget was communicated to the committee by Rosemary Nyakikongoro, the chairperson of the Parliament’s Defence and Internal Affairs Committee.

Nyakikongoro said that the Police Force needs a budget of 7.5 billion to construct 30 model sub-county police posts but only 4.5 billion has been provided in the next financial year 2022/2023. This leaves a shortfall of 3 billion Shillings.

She appealed to the Budget Committee to incorporate the required funds in the national budget report given the implementation of the Parish Development Model.

However, MPs on the Budget Committee criticized the proposed budget saying that the Force needs to give priority on rehabilitating the already existing police stations at the district level.

Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, the Kira Municipality MP said that it was not feasible to invest the amount of money in the police posts.

Paul Akamba, the Busiki County MP said that the committee needed to be convinced on how setting up police posts at the sub-county will benefit the country.

David Kabanda, Kasambya County MP told the Defence Committee to give priority to the district police headquarters by rehabilitating them.

Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, the Butambala County MP also said that the district police stations are dilapidated.

The Uganda Police Force has in the next financial year been allocated 865.8 billion Shillings.

In its report, the Defence and Internal Affairs Committee said that creation of new administration units presents the need for more police stations and police posts.

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