{UAH} Allan/Pojim/WBK: Food crisis hits police
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2:04 PM |
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Food crisis hits police
Food rationing in the police, triggered by dwindling stocks, has sparked a wave of anger and unease among the rank and file.
According to insider sources, the annoying order restricting food to field officers was issued on Monday by a phone text message.
"Feeding of personnel in the field is only for FFP [Field Force Police], Recruit Cadets and PPCS [Probation Police Constables] Unit Commanders to ensure Compliance Immediately," said the message from telephone number 0771931860.
Among other duties, the FFP unit handles crowd trouble and riots, and has been in charge of confining FDC's former presidential candidate Kizza Besigye at his home in Kasangati.
Insiders say police is rationing food because its stocks are fast running out. It was recently reported that suppliers to the force refused to sell food on credit, citing debilitating arrears. Food is normally cooked at Kibuli crime intelligence and investigations headquarters and it is bussed to the field where it is served.
"There is little [food] remaining in the police stores and the force has not yet secured money to buy more food," said an anonymous source.
The source said police expects to get money after the June budget is presented.
"The remaining food in the stock can feed only those officers who are always in the field controlling rioters," the source said in a Monday interview.
He added that if everyone in the force was given food the remaining stockpile wouldn't last two months.
"We must make sure that those officers who normally run after Besigye are fed," said an insider.
Police has been on heightened alert since the presidential election results were announced on February 20, keeping Besigye under constant and, sometimes, explosive surveillance. The food rationing however, has triggered complaints from traffic and detective personnel.
"We are always in the field from morning up to evening and we don't get any allowance; so, where do they expect us to get money for lunch?" said a traffic officer who declined to be named.
She said she earns the same salary like her FFP colleagues. Another traffic officer warned that this deprivation of food could increase cases of bribery.
"If our bosses don't reverse this order, we shall start demanding bribes from taxi drivers or else they should give us lunch allowances," she said.
One detective, clearly aggrieved, explained that trailing Besigye involved more than just FFP officers.
"When Besigye is rioting in the city, FFP officers go for arrest and for us CIID we prefer charges against him and we are all in the field; so, why don't we get fed like them?" he said.
Recently, Inspector General of Police Kale Kayihura said the traffic and detective departments were the most corrupt in the force and demanded that they should always declare their wealth to the Inspector General of Government (IGG)
Contacted for a comment on Tuesday, Polly Namaye, the deputy police spokesperson, confirmed that only field officers and those on special assignments would be fed henceforth.
"Food is strictly for field officers who cannot go back to their homes for lunch," she said. "Traffic officers work half a day and have a lot of time to go for lunch…but those in the field cannot leave work for lunch."
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