The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Thomas Tayebwa, on Thursday commended the Uganda Police Force for maintaining law and order despite facing harsh living and working conditions.
Mr. Tayebwa received a report on the working and living conditions of police personnel and their impact on human rights observance in Uganda from the Uganda Human Rights Commission Chairperson, Ms. Mariam Wangadya, on Thursday morning.
The report highlighted that police officers, particularly in lower ranks, reside in dilapidated shared housing and lack essential protective gear. Mr. Tayebwa expressed concern and challenged the government to investigate why officers persevere in their duties despite these deplorable conditions.
He assured the Commission that Parliament will prioritize allocating funds in the 2024/2025 budget to cover pensions for public officers, as mandated by law.
“It is something we should interest ourselves as government. I hope we can dig deeper since the Human Rights Commission has given us a foundation in its research,” said Tayebwa
Additionally, he criticized the Shs841 billion budget ceiling allocated to the police force, which falls significantly short of their proposed budget of Shs3.2 trillion. This significant gap, he argued, leaves many crucial needs unfunded.
