KAMPALA: The Inspector-General of Police, Martin Okoth Ochola, has ordered the Crime Intelligence and the Criminal Investigations Directorate to investigate the misuse and abuse of police motor vehicles. He says that most police vehicles are being used for private work, which causes them to break down.
He also directed the logistics and engineering departments, with assistance from the Crime Intelligence and Criminal Investigations Directorate, to come up with monitoring and evaluation measures to counter motor vehicle abuse, noting that the vice does not only affect the police budget but also undermines the performance of the force.
Ochola gave the orders to Joseph Mugisa, the Assistant Inspector of Police, and the Director of Fire and Rescue Services, who were in Mbarara city on Friday to open a new repair and maintenance center.
He explained that the maintenance centre was critical because the force fleet was growing by the day.He tasked all regional police commanders with compiling a list of all the motor vehicles, motorcycles, and bicycles that needed urgent attention.
Joseph Kato, the Deputy Rwezi Regional Police, said that building the maintenance centre will make the region’s workers more mobile. They have 38 cars, 235 motorcycles, and 17 bicycles now.
Felix Baryamwisaki, the Deputy Director of Estates and Land Management in the Uganda Police Force, said that the construction was expected to last one year, but it took two years due to land grabbers and phased funding.
Baryamwisaki says the third mechanical centre will be constructed in the Aswa Policing Region in Gulu. The Rwizi region comprises Mbarara, Isingiro, Ibanda, Ntungamo, Kiruhura, Kazo, and Rwampara.
Sam Origanyira, the Kakiika Cell Defense Secretary, says that the maintenance centre needs to work first on the fire vehicles that are all grounded, noting that the last time a fire gutted timber businesses in town, they had to wait for the fire fleet from Bushenyi district.