KAMPALA, UGANDA — The Uganda Police Force (UPF) has requested an additional Shs157 billion in its 2025/2026 financial year budget to facilitate the recruitment of Probation Police Constables (PPCs) ahead of the 2026 general elections.
With Uganda’s general elections scheduled for January 2026, Under Secretary Aggrey Wunyi emphasized the critical need for 10,000 additional constables to maintain law and order during the election period.
He expressed concern that the proposed allocation of Shs58 billion leaves a substantial shortfall of Shs99 billion, which he warned could jeopardize public safety and security during the elections.
Wunyi presented the force’s budget request to the Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in a meeting chaired by Wilson Kajwengye and attended by Minister for Internal Affairs, Gen. Kahinda Otafiire, and other security officials.
Furthermore, Wunyi highlighted potential challenges in conducting motorized patrols during the elections due to a significant funding gap for fuel procurement. He stated that only Shs55 billion of the required Shs189 billion has been allocated.
He also warned that election-related investigations would be hampered by a shortfall in investigation funds, with only Shs6.4 billion allocated out of the required Shs60 billion.
“There will be need for quick investigations to resolve cases that arise during elections and yet we have a very big funding shortfall,” Wunyi stated.
Inspector General of Police, Abbas Byakagaba, echoed these concerns, stating that the budget shortfalls undermine the force’s ability to effectively maintain law and order. He attributed the shortfalls to inadequate funding from other relevant programs, noting that while the UPF’s mandate aligns with numerous National Development Plan IV (NDP IV) programs, it receives funding from only three.
“My appeal to this committee is to advocate for UPF to be considered for funding from other relevant NDP IV programmes. This will cover shortfalls in the force’s budget,” Byakagaba said.
Minister Otafiire, however, commended the police for their efforts in reducing the national crime rate, citing a decrease from 228,074 cases in 2023 to 218,715 cases in 2024.
“With your support for the expansion of the CCTV surveillance system in rural areas and with other interventions such as implementation of sub county policing model, I want to assure you that cases of criminality will be contained,” Otafiire said.
Committee Chairperson Kajwengye underscored the importance of adequate police funding in the lead-up to the elections. “2025/2026 is of significance. It is a year where we shall have elections to underpin our democratic credentials as a country and when we talk about elections, then the role of police is at the core,” said Kajwengye.
