The Uganda Human Rights Commission has released a report indicating that many of the junior police officers cannot produce children because they share dilapidated rooms with their colleagues.
The report titled “Squeezing water out of a stone? Working and living conditions of the Uganda Police Force personnel and their implications on observance of human rights”, revealed that the police officers of lower ranks are living in poor housing units which are separated by curtains.
While presenting the report to the Deputy Speaker of Parliament Mr Thomas Tayebwa on Thursday, the chairperson of the Uganda Human Rights Commission Ms Mariam Wangadya noted that there is a need to revise the welfare of the police officers.
“The situation of housing or accommodation in the police force was dire with institutional accommodation largely dilapidated, comprising shared rooms partitioned by either curtains or make-shift boards. Some of them told us that it was hard for them to get children because of these situations. They reside in condemned structures and uniports which are unfit for human habitation,” Wangadya said.
The report also noted that 70% of the police officers are not satisfied with the deployments, transfers, and promotions, citing corruption, favoritism, tribalism, nepotism, and technical know-how.
Tayebwa noted that some of the highlighted findings will be considered in the ongoing 2024/2025 budget process.
