The Uganda Police Force has rejected a proposal by local government leaders to allow elected LC chairpersons to direct police officers to arrest suspects under the new Sub-County Policing Model. Police say operational decisions, including arrests, must remain the responsibility of trained officers to prevent abuse of power and the possibility of law enforcement being drawn into personal disputes.
The issue emerged on Thursday during the commissioning of the newly constructed Makulubita Sub-County Police Station at Nakikonge Village in Luwero District. The station was constructed and donated to the community by Farid Kaliisa, Uganda’s Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
During the ceremony, Luwero District Chairperson Erastus Kibirango welcomed the decentralisation of police services to the sub-county level but argued that local leaders should be given a greater role in the management of the stations.
Kibirango said that under the former Local Administration Police system, local leaders could direct officers to arrest suspected criminals, an arrangement he said helped communities respond quickly to crime and other security threats. He asked the police leadership to consider restoring such powers, arguing that local leaders should be able to order the arrest of suspects where they believe security is at risk.
However, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Frank Mwesigwa, the Director of Operations in the Uganda Police Force, who presided over the commissioning, rejected the proposal, saying police officers cannot take operational orders from local political leaders.
He warned that giving local leaders powers to order arrests could be abused and potentially drag police officers into personal disputes, including situations where no criminal offence has been committed. Mwesigwa said local leaders, like other members of the public, can report suspected criminal activity or alert police to security threats.
Police officers would then assess the information, conduct the necessary inquiries and determine the appropriate course of action. He added that the Sub-County Policing Model is intended to bring police services closer to communities and improve the force’s response to crime.
Mwesigwa said stations established under the model have been equipped with portable radios, VHF base radios and dedicated telephone lines through which residents can report crimes and other emergencies. He added that additional police personnel and motorcycles have been deployed to improve response to reported crimes and emergencies.
Police have so far established stations in 2,037 of Uganda’s 2,190 sub-counties. Under the Sub-County Policing Model, 200 stations have also been constructed and equipped as part of efforts to improve police infrastructure, accommodation and security services. In Luwero District, police currently operate 18 Sub-County Police Model stations and one police post, with a total deployment of 337 officers.
Speaking on behalf of Ambassador Kaliisa, Malik Kaliisa said the family donated one acre of land for the establishment of the Makulubita police station. He said the family later became concerned that police could face difficulties developing the site and decided to finance the construction of additional facilities to enable officers to begin operations immediately.
According to Kaliisa, the facilities include an office block and accommodation for police personnel, which have since been handed over to the Uganda Police Force. Police have deployed 12 officers and provided two motorcycles to the new station, which will serve 53 villages across Makulubita Sub-County.
Luwero Resident District Commissioner Mariam Nalubega and local council chairpersons commended Ambassador Kaliisa for supporting the establishment of the station. They urged the newly deployed officers to prioritise cases of cattle theft and land grabbing, which local leaders say have affected communities in the area-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
