Police uniforms confiscated over unpaid salaries

Kabale, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  After expiry of  their contracts, Uganda Police Force  recently ordered that Special Police Constables -SPCs must hand over the uniforms that they have been using. However, in Kabale District, the SPCs reacted by storming the Kabale Central Police Station today, demanding unpaid salaries for three months.

The unpaid salaries are for January, February and March, 2021.

According to the statement issued out by Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga last year, each SPCs was supposed to be paid salary of  370,000 Shillings each a month.

Nelson Agaba,  Isaac Ainembabazi and Sherinah Kebirungi said they were made to open bank accounts immediately after recruitment, but up to now their accounts are empty.

The SPCs said they were deceived into working without appointment letters yet when they demanded for payment, the Police Commanders asked them to present evidence that they were Police officers.

Sheilah Kesande, another SPC said they started enquiring about their salaries after their counterparts who were recruited in the first batch received their salaries for January and February. Ms Kesande said they had been trying to make inquiries from office of the Kabale District Police Commander and Kigezi Regional Police Commander, but each time they got confused since none of the commanders explained why they couldn’t get their salaries.

The SPCs vowed never to hand in Police Uniforms until they were paid.They said the green, long sleeved shirts, trousers and gum boots  were their last hope of getting their salaries  since they had no other evidence.

However, The Kigezi Region Commander Dan Byaruhanga  accused the SPCs of impatience. According to SSP Byaruhanga, the complainants were recruited “late” in the second batch which had 123 SPCs. He explained that approval of their recruitment was delayed by the Human Resource Office at the Headquarters in Kampala and hence they had  not received appointment letters by the time they were deployed at the polling stations.

Byaruhanga said they were expecting both the appointment letters and the salaries of the second batch to be released “as soon as possible’. He  said he was okay with SPCs keeping the Uniforms until they are paid, but he warned of arrest if they are used for criminal activities.

Meanwhile, the SPCs dissatisfied, went ahead and petitioned office of the Inspectorate of Government, Kabale Branch. However they found that the head of the IGG’s office in Kabale, Mr, Sam Agaba was reportedly on leave.

While speaking to our reporter in a phone interview, Mr. Agaba confirmed that he had been contacted about the matter and the petition would be forwarded to the IGGs head office for advice on procedure.

He said the case could either be sanctioned for investigation or his office would write to the concerned authorities for clarification.  By the time of filing this report, the SPCs were marching to the office of the Kabale Resident District Commissioner Darius Nandinda to petition him about the same matter.

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