The Inspector General of Police, Abas Byakagaba, has strengthened grassroots policing in the Wamala Region with the deployment of 95 brand-new motorcycles to subcounty police stations, in a move aimed at improving crime prevention and response in some of the country’s crime-prone areas.
The motorcycles are intended to enhance police mobility and enable officers to respond more quickly to incidents, particularly in hard-to-reach areas. Mubende District received the largest allocation with 33 motorcycles, followed by Mityana with 19, Kassanda and Kyankwanzi with 15 each, while Kiboga received 13.
Speaking about the deployment, Wamala Regional Police Spokesperson, SSP Lameck Kigozi, described the motorcycles as a critical force multiplier. He, however, cautioned officers against careless and reckless use of the new equipment.
Kigozi also urged members of the public to report any abuse or misuse of the motorcycles so that appropriate action can be taken. He said the distribution ensures that every subcounty police station across the five districts is covered, with each station receiving at least two motorcycles. More motorcycles are expected to be delivered as the deployment continues.
The deployment comes against a backdrop of persistent crime challenges in the region. According to the Uganda Police Annual Crime Report 2025, Mubende was among the districts that recorded the highest number of murder cases in the country, with 58 cases. It was second to Kyegegwa, which recorded 67 cases.
The region also recorded high levels of theft-related offences in 2024, while police continue to contend with crimes including murder, gang violence, defilement and drug-related offences. In Mityana alone, police records indicate that between 7,000 and 8,000 criminal cases are reported annually.
The Wamala Region comprises Mubende, Mityana, Kassanda, Kiboga and Kyankwanzi districts. The deployment is part of efforts to strengthen Uganda’s subcounty policing model, which was rolled out in 2021 under former Inspector General of Police Martin Okoth Ochola, following a directive from President Yoweri Museveni.
Under the model, each of Uganda’s more than 1,400 sub counties is expected to have a fully functional police station staffed by at least 20 officers and headed by an Officer-in-Charge at the rank of Assistant Inspector of Police.
The model was designed to move police services, including manpower, transport and investigative capacity, closer to communities. This marked a shift from the previous arrangement, in which police resources were largely concentrated at district and regional headquarters.
However, inadequate mobility has remained a major challenge, particularly in areas where police stations are located far from crime hotspots. Wamala Regional Police leadership has previously highlighted the long distances officers must cover when responding to incidents.
In Mityana alone, about 266 officers are deployed across 11 sub counties, further stretching the available resources. Police authorities now hope the new motorcycles will help bridge this mobility gap, improve response times and strengthen crime prevention at the subcounty level-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
