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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Police Force has been allocated 292 billion shillings for domestic development in the 2020/2021 financial year starting next month.
The development budget has been increased by 32.8 percent compared to 196 billion shillings that was given to the force in the 2019/2020 financial year.
Domestic development budget caters for among other things construction of police housing units, police stations, purchase of more fleet, renovations of police stations and refurbishing existing health amenities.
Dr Moses Byaruhanga, the director police medical services said in the coming budget, he hopes to purchase at least seven new ambulances for his directorate.
The police force had 32 ambulances in total but at least 10 have since been grounded. Purchasing new ambulances according to Byaruhanga will steer his directorate efforts’ to respond to medical emergencies.
Dr Byaruhanga says ambulances are attached to various districts as a health contribution from the police force.
Police have 92 health facilities ranging from health centre IIs to III which include Arua, Kiryandongo, Soroti, Katakwi, Iganga, Mpigi, Buwama, Mbarara, Rukungiri, Hoima and Masindi. The force hopes to renovate some of these health facilities while others will be equipped.
Another police project that is expected to take a big chunk is the stalled construction of 10,000 housing units for lower rank police officers who range from Inspector of Police to Police Constable.
Police council resolved to first start with 17 buildings with four levels each. Every floor on the 17 building contains 15 housing units. Each building is being erected at a cost of 6.9 billion shillings. However, Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga recently told Uganda Radio Network –URN that the construction was not moving speedily because of slow releases of funds.
Even though the first phase of the seven units of for the 17 building was supposed to be completed in 2018, it is only one building that is complete and already occupied by 60 police personnel manning the National Closed Circuit Television –CCTV Command Centre at Naguru.
Former Inspector General of Police –IGP Gen Kale Kayihura, launched the construction of police housing units. Police council passed the idea of first constructing 1020 unit but were later reduced to 360 as a pilot project.
Last year’s police council also passed the idea of establishing a full-fledged forensic directorate that is currently headed by Andrew Mubiru.
To cater to female police officers’ affairs, police leadership also wants to start up a gender directorate. These and many others are all expected to be catered for in 292 billion shillings budget for domestic development.
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