In his response, Enanga noted that while the public is right to question their work, they should appreciate the efforts of the Police Force given the huge population in the country.
Police detectives
are choking with a high number of cases because of increased crime, police
spokesperson, Fred Enanga has revealed. According to Enanga, each detective
currently handles at least 950 cases compared to 780 cases in the past.
He was responding to accusations
by the Justice Forum-JEEMA political president, Asuman Basalirwa against the
police force for failing to conclusively
investigate numerous homicides.
Basalirwa particularly singled the murders of Police
Spokesperson, Assistant Inspector General of Police, Andrew Felix Kaweesi, the
former Buyende District Police Commander and Assistant Superintendent of Police
(ASP) Muhammad Kirumira.
Kaweesi, who doubled as Police Director for Human Resource
Development (HRD) and Police Spokesperson, was killed in a volley of bullets on
March 17, 2017 while Kirumira was shot dead on September 8, 2018.
In February 2017, Senior Commissioner of Police (SCP) Felix
Ndyomugyenyi who was also Kaweesi’s deputy said Criminal Investigation
Directorate (CID) had failed to resolve 4000 murders between 2014 and 2017.
In his response, Enanga noted
that while the public is right to question their work, they should appreciate
the efforts of the Police Force given the huge population in the country.
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He explained that much as police detectives are overloaded, they have done their
best to apprehend suspects and presented them in court.
Enanga cited
the case of Assistant Inspector General of Police, Andrew Felix Kaweesi where
eight suspects are before court.
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Enanga said there is need to recruit more police officers in order
to match the population. With Uganda’s population estimated to be 40million
people, it means a single police officer secures 1,052 people which is below
United Nations policing standards where 500 people should be manned by each
police officer.
Police recruitment
was suspended in 2016 in order to use the available funds to set up housing
unit for junior police officers. While handing over to his successor in
March last year, the former Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura said
he had left 44600 police personnel
However, a manpower audit put the figure at
38000. While presenting crime statistic of 2017 mid-last year, the CID
Director AIGP Grace Akullo, informed the Inspector General of Police (IGP)
Martin Okoth Ochola, that her directorate needed more funding to effectively
execute its duties.
Joseph Kato is currently a Master's candidate at Makerere University. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Mass Communication from Kampala International University, a Diploma in Journalism and he's also a graduate in Guidance and Counseling.
