By KT Reporter
The Inspector General of Police, Abas Byakagaba, has launched the construction of 1,200 police housing apartments at Naguru barracks in Kampala to supplement the 360 units which were launched two years ago.
Although Byakagaba has indicated that the project is expected to be completed within 12 months, there are doubts about this being realised since the construction of 360 units took six years from 2016 to 2023.
In 2016, Gen Edward Kale Kayihura, who was the IGP then, launched the construction of 1,200 units, starting with 360, which were expected to be commissioned in 2018. By the time President Yoweri Museveni sacked Gen Kayihura and replaced him with Martin Okoth Ochola in March 2018, the housing units were not complete.
But the completion of the first 360 apartments dragged on until 2022, when they were commissioned by the current minister for internal affairs, Maj Gen Kahinda Otafiire. Even though Gen Kayihura left a well-designed plan whereby all the 1,200 units would be complete by 2022, Ochola’s six-year tenure did not kick off the construction of the remaining apartments.
Ochola’s efforts were hampered by insufficient funding because the police budget was slashed immediately he took over, and his pleas to Museveni and parliament to have the force’s budget raised to over a trillion shillings fell on deaf ears.
Like Ochola, Byakagaba’s first budget of 2025/2026 is 2.5 trillion shillings, and this is what he expects to use to construct the 1,200 apartments for police officers at Naguru barracks and others upcountry. It is not yet clear whether parliament will pass the proposed budget or it will be reduced to a billion, just like it regularly happened during Ochola’s time.
If IGP Byakagaba secures over a trillion shillings in funding for police activities and wages, he will have set a record that Ochola failed to achieve in six years after replacing Gen Kayihura.
While launching the construction on Thursday, Byakagaba emphasized the importance of timely delivery, urging the construction team to work efficiently.
Byakagaba announced that the project is being handled by the Police Construction Unit under the Directorate of Logistics and Engineering. This was the same declaration by Gen Kayihura, but 360 units took over six years.
“This initiative is a significant step towards improving the welfare of police officers and their families. Together with the police’s top leadership, we are focused on enhancing the overall well-being of the police force, and this project is one of those testaments to that commitment,” Byakagaba said.
Assistant Inspector General Police (AIGP) Dr Hadijah Namutebi, the director of welfare, production and sports, noted that the journey to this day has been shaped by collective effort, vision, and unrelenting dedication to improving the lives of those who serve our country with honor and sacrifice.
According to Namutebi, adequate housing is not a privilege but a right and a cornerstone of effective service delivery. She added that when an officer lives in secure, decent accommodation, their morale is strengthened, their productivity enhanced, and their loyalty reinforced.
James Apora, the director of logistics and engineering, assured the success and timely completion of the police housing project. Apora said he has assigned a team of dedicated engineers to oversee the construction, ensuring that the project meets its deadline and is completed to the desired standards-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
