Thousands of Ugandan police officers find themselves in total confusion following a recent nationwide deployment that has left them without accommodation, resources, or basic infrastructure to carry out their duties.
More than 10,000 officers were transferred to various sub-counties across Uganda in January 2025.
But upon arrival, many found no designated police stations, housing, or operational facilities, leaving them unable to work effectively.
Some have been forced to rent homes at their own expense, while others have returned to their original stations or remained idle at District Central Police Stations (CPS), struggling to make ends meet.
The initiative to deploy officers to sub-counties was first proposed by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in 2019 but was initially dismissed by then Inspector General of Police (IGP) Martins Okoth Ochola over concerns about preparedness.
However, during the June 2024 Heroes’ Day celebrations in Gomba District, Museveni revived the directive, emphasising that officers should be equipped with motorcycles to enhance crime prevention efforts in their regions.
Under the leadership of the current IGP Abaas Byakagaba, multiple police units, including Khaki, Field Force, and Counter-Terrorism, were mobilised and sent to sub-counties.
While framed as a security enhancement measure, sources suggest political motivations ahead of the 2025/2026 general elections may have influenced the decision.
Yet, with no infrastructure to support them, the deployment has left many officers disillusioned and demotivated.
Instead of conducting patrols and ensuring public safety, many are simply waiting, playing cards, searching for temporary shelter, or returning to their urban assignments in frustration.
Vanishing Officers
The impact of this mass deployment is also being felt in the capital, Kampala.
The once heavily policed City Square now appears empty, as officers previously stationed there have been moved upcountry.
“That’s why you no longer see the Field Force Unit officers who were usually idling in City Square,” a source revealed.
Currently, we have noticed that Kampala is emptier of police officers because they’ve all been deployed to sub-counties.
This large-scale operation raises urgent concerns about the police force’s ability to maintain security in rural areas, where resources are already stretched thin.
Uganda has 146 districts and 2,197 sub-counties, further complicating the challenge of adequately equipping these deployments.
Repeated attempts to seek comment from Uganda Police Spokesperson Rusoke Kituuma were unsuccessful.
Still, text inquiries sent to Local Government Minister Raphael Magyezi and Permanent Secretary Ben Kumumanya also went unanswered.
Unfulfilled Vision
The sub-county policing model, as envisioned by President Museveni, aimed to establish fully functional police stations in every sub-county.
Each was to be staffed with 18–20 officers and equipped with four motorcycles, two dedicated to emergency response.
IGP Byakagaba recently outlined the intended personnel structure of these sub-county stations.
They include an Officer in Charge, 12 General Duty Personnel for patrols, a Criminal Investigations Department (CID) officer, a Crime Intelligence Officer, a cChild and Family Protection Unit officer, and a Community Liaison officer to promote engagement with local communities.
Byakagaba maintains that the model has already been rolled out in select regions, including North West Nile, Rwizi, Kira, Rwenzori East, Sipi, Greater Masaka, Greater Bushenyi, and Albertine.
However, the current reality paints a different picture, one of stranded officers, struggling to survive, and an overwhelmed police force stretched beyond its means.
We have a question; Can Uganda’s Police Force sustain this deployment, or will the initiative crumble under the weight of its own logistical failures?
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