{UAH} Police officers cry out over swearing-in money

Police officers cry out over swearing-in money

Written by JOHNSON TAREMWA

 Created: 23 May 2016

 

A serious row has erupted in the police, with after junior officers suspecting their superiors of pocketing their deployment allowances for the election period and the May 12 inauguration of President Museveni.

The Observer has established that the complainants number at least 500 officers from Kampala Metropolitan Police (KMP). In interviews last week, disgruntled police officers said about Shs 300m was on budget to be paid out police officers deployed during the election period (November 2015 and March 2016) and swearing-in ceremony. They say however, none has gotten a penny since.

"What I can tell you is that police got over Shs 300m for operations during the election period and swearing-in ceremony. Our bosses told us that we were to be paid Shs 30,000 daily excluding lunch as our allowances for 20 days because we overworked," one Field Force Unit policeman said.

"We worked in shifts to make sure there was tight security during and after elections. We used to leave our homes as early as 4:00am and go back past 11:00pm and others would start from midnight to 10:00pm well knowing that we shall earn some little money out of that sweat."

Police and the army patrolling Kampala streets on the eve of Museveni's swearing-in

The disgruntled men and women claim that after elections, they demanded their allowances but their bosses urged patience. The bosses reportedly said insecurity in town was still rampant and that the money hadn't been released yet.

Confronted by his juniors during parade one morning, one Kampala Metropolitan police boss reportedly retorted: "Just be patient; you see the situation is still tense and the undersecretary [Rodgers Muheirwe] is up and down but when it [situation] normalizes, he will process the money and you will be paid."

Since then, the junior officers claim they have exercised more patience but that is wearing thin.

"It was in mid-March when we again asked for our money because our children had gone to school and we were informed that IGP [inspector general of police] halted all payments until after the [presidential] swearing-in ceremony," said a female police officer attached to Kampala's Central police station.

"Our commander told us the IGP said that all deployment allowances will be paid after the swearing-in ceremony; so, we must be patient…," she added.

The officer said that after Easter, IGP Kale Kayihura told the complaints at Naguru police headquarters that there were some problems and all payments had been halted.

Kayihura reportedly promised all the arrears would be paid after swearing-in. But some officers were surprised to learn that their counterparts in the traffic department had been paid.

A May 16 notice pinned up on the traffic department notice board read: "All traffic personnel who participated in the swearing in special duty from 10th to 13th May 2016 and have not yet received their facilitation should report to room 38 not later than 17th May 2016."

The complainants said that after reading that notice, they knew their money was ready.

"We waited for the message but we did not see it for two days," one officer said.

Most officers claim they are demanding allowances for 20 days, but the police leaders in Kampala say they have not got it.
The complainants have vowed to petition the IGP Kale Kayihura on Monday if they are not paid then. "We have given our bosses up to Monday [May 23]; if they don't pay us, we shall march to the IGP in protest," another officer said.

Contacted for a response, the deputy police commander for Kampala Metropolitan Area, Stephen Tanui, said he was still waiting for the cheque.

"Police headquarters has not sent money for KMP but promised to give us a cheque; so, those officers must wait for some time," he said.

Tanui added that he was not aware traffic officers got their money.

"Those officers must be informed that during elections there was no money released because it was a national function," he said.

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Gwokto La'Kitgum

"Even a small dog can piss on a tall Building", Jim Hightower

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