In a petition to the Office of the Leader of Opposition in Parliament Mathias Mpuuga, the officers cite futile attempts to seek redress from the police leadership.
Photo Credit. AU. Ugandan police officers prepare to board an aircraft at Aden Abdulle International Airport in Mogadishu 27 July 2013, having completed their one-year mandate with the African Union Mission in Somalia
At least 160 police officers who
were deployed for year-long peacekeeping operations under the African Union
Mission in Somalia – AMISOM have decried foul play in the processing of their payment of
their benefits.
They were deployed in December 2020
following a six-month intensive pre-deployment training course at Kigo, Wakiso
District under the Formed Police Unit – FPU. Their mandate was to provide
police operations, public order management, and protection of African Union
personnel and facilities.
One of the officers who preferred anonymity
told URN on Saturday that after 13 months of delivering the AU mandate, they
were only remunerated for three months, and the balance of the accrued benefits
has never been remitted to their accounts more than a year since they returned
in 2022.
In a petition to the Office of the
Leader of Opposition in Parliament -LOP, Mathias Mpuuga, the officers cited futile attempts to seek redress from the police hierarchies, thus they
want the indulgence of Parliament to probe the matter.
The LOP confirmed receiving the petition
and stated that preliminary investigations show that the AU already disbursed
the payment for the affected officers but ‘someone’ has the money in his or her
account, plunging in serious disrepute the image of Uganda’s security and defense mission abroad.
//Cue In “Our concern mainly.....//
Cue Out..... on his or her account.“//
Mpuuga condemned such acts of
defrauding men in uniform because it breeds distress that affects their morale to serve members
of the public. He emphasized that he is seeking space on the Order Paper to
enable him to table the petition in the House for investigation.
//Cue In “So the concerns.....//
Cue Out.....happened to their money.“//
Drawing parallels with the rampant
reports of armed robberies in schools, supermarkets, and homes, the LOP called for
a genuine evaluation of both the UPDF and police open-ended deployment in Somalia
under the AMISON which has lasted for 12 years.
Mpuuga further condemned the appalling
welfare of the security personnel in foreign missions as they go for several
months without pay, and operate in a horrid environment while Uganda continues
to suffer unimaginable internal insecurity such as the cattle raids.
The current crime patterns in the
country are linked to indiscipline involving security personnel, deserters from both state and private security who mount illegal roadblocks, organized criminal gangs as well as supplying trained assassins among others.
Uganda first deployed police officers into the mission area in 2010, becoming the first East African country that deployed 201 police officers, 140 Formed Police Units, 60 Individual Police Officers, and 1 Senior Leadership Team officer.
Ochola's journalism career begun from Radio King 90.2 FM in Gulu around 2009, and Radio Rupiny 95.7 Fm under Vision Group in 2012. He also reported for Mighty Fire 91.5 Fm, Kitgum in 2015 before joining Wizarts Foundation in 2017.
He has been reporting for Uganda Radio Network (URN) since 2017 before being posted as Bureau Chief Kitgum, and later Gulu between 2018 - 2021. Currently, he reports from Parliament.
