The Uganda Police Force is facing a serious financial challenge as it seeks an additional UGX58.4 billion to pay salaries for 10,000 newly recruited officers. These officers were recently trained to help maintain law and order during the January 2026 general elections, a period that requires heightened security across the country. However, despite their important role, thousands of them may go without pay due to a gap in the police budget.
According to police officials, the current budget for the Financial Year 2026/2027 only covers a small portion of the new recruits. This means that about 8,140 officers have no salary allocation at all. The situation has raised concern, as these officers have already completed their training and are expected to serve the nation like any other member of the force.
The issue was presented to Parliament by Aggrey Wunyi, the Undersecretary of the Uganda Police Force, during a meeting with the Defence and Internal Affairs Committee. He explained that without additional funding, the force will struggle to meet its obligations to the new officers. This could affect morale and the overall effectiveness of the police, especially during critical national duties.
Members of the committee are now expected to review the request and consider ways to address the funding gap. The need to support the police force is seen as urgent, particularly after the heavy deployment during the election period. Ensuring that officers are paid on time is not only important for their welfare but also for maintaining discipline and commitment within the force.
As the discussions continue, the situation highlights the broader challenges of budgeting for security agencies in a growing country. Many will be watching closely to see how Parliament responds and whether the funds will be approved in time to support the thousands of officers who are ready to serve Uganda.
