The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | At least 300 police officers are reportedly crying foul after the Human Resource Management (HRM) department withheld their monthly salary for missing manpower audit headcount instructed by Inspector General of Police, Martin Ochola.
Ochola ordered a manpower headcount in June last year after it was reported that nearly 5000 police personnel had deserted the force between 2014 and 2018 leaving the institution with insufficient numbers.
On April 26 this year, a document titled Human Resource Management 144/225/01 manpower audit, was released containing a list of 1042 officers instructed to show up at Naguru police headquarters in a week’s time or else be deleted from the payroll system.
Out of the 1042, it is reported that only 700 showed up to explain why they had missed headcount but 300 were a no show.
A decision was reportedly taken by then police’s human resource management director Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Moses Balimwoyo in consultation with Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) to withhold salaries of all officers who did not turn up.
Uganda Radio Network (URN) has since learnt that several officers ranging from the ranks of Constable and Superintendent of Police (SP) are flocking police headquarters to explain themselves after learning that their salaries for June and July were withheld.
Police Spokesperson, Fred Enanga, said he was yet to get a briefing on numbers of police officers who turn up or did not turn to explain where they had been during headcount process. He said he would engage the manpower audit office to have the latest on affected officers.
The April 26, list of policemen and women who had missed manpower audit included eight Superintendents (SPs), 30 Assistant Superintendents (ASPs), 10 Inspectors of Police (IPs) and 40 Assistant Inspectors (AIPs) whose fate was to sealed on May 2.
“The under listed personnel under your units missed headcount that was conducted in June 2018. You are hereby required to match them to police headquarters HRM manpower audit and give exclamation about their whereabouts on the day of headcount. Whoever will not be matched as instructed will be presumed to be AWOL [Absent Without Leave] and will be deleted from payroll,” read the April 26 internal message to all police unit commanders.
Ochola ordered for a headcount when former IGP Gen Kale Kayihura was handing over to him.
Police officers whose names appeared on the list of those who had missed manpower audit had 385 from Field Force Unit (FFU), 72 from Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU), 44 from the Directorate of Logistics and Engineering, 41 at Kira Road Police Station, 38 at Very Important Protection Unit (VIPPU), 18 at Tourism Police 18, 17 at Jinja Road Police Station and 14 at Kira Division Police headquarters.
AIGP Grace Akullo’s directorate the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) had 13 detectives whose whereabouts were unknown, Human Resource Administration (HRD) had 10, Counter terrorism 12, Aviation Police 9, Crime Intelligence 9, Flying Squad 7, Presidential Protection Guard (PPG) 5, Interpol Police 5 and Music Dance and Drama 4.
Upcountry police stations were topped by Mbale at 16, Tororo 11, Jinja Central 11, Kamuli 11, Mayuge 10, Namayingo 10, Abim 10, Masaka 9, Rakai 8, Iganga, Bukedia and Kaabong all have 7 police officers.
*****
URN
