Africa-Press – Uganda. The handling of abuse and harassment reports filed by the Latvian tourist Anda casts the Uganda Police Force in very bad light.
That three police personnel from Jinja Road have since been apprehended goes a little way in salvaging the Force’s image but a great deal of damage has been done.
Uganda Police Force is meant to safeguard lives and property of the people within these boundaries. If law enforcement starts aiding and abetting the loss of property and acts as mouthpieces for the so-called powerful ones when they communicate or repeat threats to life, then we are left on our own, at the mercy of thugs.
Even more worrying, is that Anda’s is not an isolated case. It has almost become routine that police personnel will put roadblocks in the way of those trying to report crimes, to the extent of frustrating them. Stories abound of conflicts reported to the Police where the complainant was either tossed from post to post looking for answers or they were asked to buy fuel or grease a few palms in order to get things moving.
The President has himself on occasion expressed his dismay at the rotten apples in the Police and promised to deal with them. In spite of all these efforts however, the vice continues to thrive.
In 2021, Uganda Police Force emerged as the most corrupt institution in the country according to the Fourth National Integrity Survey Report, which ranked the general police as the worst department in extorting money from members of the public in the form of bribery. Three police departments of Traffic, General duties and Criminal Investigations were right at the top of the table when it came to corrupt practices.
It is only in Uganda where you find the institution supposed to maintain law and order, also performing best at breaking the law. Worse still, many of such reports are produced, presented and promptly shelved to gather dust because those who care about reigning in corruption are powerless against it and those with the power will not move a finger to stop it.
Our best efforts at promoting Uganda as a land of milk and honey and the Pearl of Africa will always fall flat if we cannot put our house in order. The Police need to get their act together or take the entire country down with them.
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