Internal Affairs Minister Flags Police SACCO Mismanagement

State Minister for Internal Affairs Juma Witonze has voiced significant concerns over the handling of the Police SACCO, a savings and credit cooperative for police officers. Witonze revealed that within his first two weeks in office, he has been inundated with complaints indicating that “all is not well” with the organization.

He stressed the urgency of addressing these issues to rebuild trust among police officers who entrust their savings to the SACCO. “We must fix the SACCO urgently to restore the confidence of our officers who save their little money there,” Witonze stated.

The Minister’s comments came during a visit by the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs to the Police headquarters in Naguru. The tour aimed to assess the force’s operations and inspect ongoing development projects, including 1,200 housing units for lower-ranking officers, a forensic evidence analysis laboratory, the new Police headquarters building, and the National CCTV Command Centre.

Inspector General of Police Abas Byakagaba also appealed to Parliament for an increased budget, citing the need for more recruits, training, CCTV expansion, uniforms, and other operational logistics. Despite a general decline in crime, he noted rising incidents of cattle theft, vandalism of electricity infrastructure, and road crashes.

The parliamentary committee, led by Chairperson Robinah Rwakoojo, acknowledged the progress on development projects and expressed support for increased funding for the Police Force. The committee is expected to present a report to Parliament, which will include recommendations on the Police budget and the serious concerns raised about the SACCO’s management.

This report is based on information from Nile Post.