By Mulengera Reporters
The Minister of Internal Affairs, Kahinda Otafiire, has called on Parliament to reverse a UGX 475.7Bn budget cut imposed on his ministry, warning that the reduction could undermine Uganda’s ability to conduct free and fair elections in 2026.
Minister Otafiire made this appeal while appearing before Parliament’s Defence and Internal Affairs Committee on Wednesday. He led a delegation that included officials from the Uganda Police Force and Uganda Prisons Service to present the Ministry’s 2025/26 Budget Framework Paper.
“I am engaging the Ministry of Finance and my Cabinet colleagues to address this budget shortfall,” Otafiire stated. “Elections are fundamental to political and social cohesion. If we fail to conduct credible elections that satisfy the majority, the country’s stability and the progress we are trying to achieve could be jeopardized.”
Budget Shortfall
Documents submitted to the committee revealed that the Ministry of Internal Affairs has been allocated UGX 1.49Trn for the 2025/26 financial year, down from UGX 1.966Trn in the revised 2024/25 budget—a reduction of UGX 475.7Bn.
Otafiire emphasized that this shortfall would severely affect service delivery, including critical priorities like maintaining the national CCTV system and expanding its coverage in Kampala Metropolitan and other areas.
“There is an urgent need for periodic maintenance of CCTV systems to enhance footage quality, extend their lifespan, and reduce downtime,” he noted. “Phase III of the CCTV project must also be implemented to address existing gaps in Kampala and across the country.”
He highlighted the success of previous CCTV phases, stating that the systems have significantly aided crime prevention and investigations. “From the 1,700 cases analyzed by CCTV analysts, 316 have resulted in convictions, and 96 cases are currently under trial,” he added.
Police Funding Woes
Aggrey Wunyi, the Under Secretary of the Uganda Police Force, acknowledged that while the government can cover police salaries, there is little left to fund operations. The Police Force’s budget for 2025/26 has been reduced to UGX 895.2Bn, down from UGX 1.123Trn in 2024/25—a reduction of UGX 227.8Bn.
Wunyi outlined several challenges, including insufficient resources to recruit 10,000 new police officers needed to bridge the gap in the police-to-population ratio.
“With a population of 45 million, Uganda has only 47,952 police officers, resulting in a ratio of 1 officer for every 958 citizens, far from the recommended ratio of 1:500,” he explained. “Recruiting more officers is essential not just for the upcoming elections but to improve overall service delivery.”
Wunyi also pointed out the strain on the investigations department, where the current workload stands at one detective handling 39 cases annually, compared to the international standard of one detective per 12 cases.
“The shortage of investigators contributes to delays in resolving cases, undermining justice for victims and suspects,” he warned.
Case Backlogs
The Auditor General’s June 2024 report highlighted Uganda Police’s struggles with case backlogs, particularly juvenile cases. The Force had planned to investigate 1,500 juvenile cases but managed only 506 due to inadequate funding. The backlog in Public Service Unit (PSU) cases was also notable, with only 82 of 200 planned cases concluded.
“The underperformance in addressing case backlogs erodes public trust in the justice system and delays justice delivery,” the report stated.
Wunyi further raised concerns about inadequate funding for police fuel. “Currently, we can only afford 2.5 liters of fuel per day per vehicle. To carry out effective policing, we need at least 10 liters per day,” he said.
Growing Debt Burden
The Uganda Police Force is also grappling with increasing domestic arrears, which have risen from UGX 98.81Bn in 2022/23 to UGX 112.95Bn in 2023/24, according to the Auditor General’s report.
“The persistent growth in arrears highlights the Force’s financial struggles,” Wunyi said, urging Parliament to allocate more resources to settle outstanding debts and improve operational efficiency.
Minister Otafiire concluded by urging lawmakers to reconsider the budget cuts, emphasizing the importance of adequate funding for internal security and free, credible elections. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
