Paul Kiwuuwa
12 May 2008
Kampala — THE Police Force spends sh1.3b annually in rent for its headquarters at the former British High Commission bulding, MPs have learnt.
The vice-chairperson of the defence and internal affairs committee, Lt. Jessica Alupo, said the force spends an additional sh800m on rent for departments.
The Police relocated to the building in Kampala city centre from Kibuli in September last year. The storeyed structure on Parliamentary Avenue belongs to tycoon Sudhir Ruparelia.
The MPs urged the Government to provide sh25b to the Police to construct a permanent home near their barracks in Naguru, a city suburb.
Alupo was on Friday presenting the budget estimates for the Police, Prisons and Defence for the financial years 2008-2013 before the budget committee.
She suggested that the funds be provided in phases, beginning in the 2008/09 financial year.
The defence committee also observed that the Police had inadequate accommodation. The force has 25,078 officers but accommodates 8,077 officers, leaving a shortfall of 17,001, Alupo noted.
"While visiting Police barracks countrywide last month, we were shocked that an apartment in Naguru was shared by at least three families. They partition the rooms by curtains. This is not good for morality among the children," she noted.
The committee recommended sh10b for the Police for the provision of low-cost houses and sh5.2b for buying two fire fighting trucks each for Arua, Kampala and Fort Portal during the coming financial year in July.
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