President Yoweri Museveni has called upon Uganda’s security forces to put the country’s stability and safety first before their salaries and welfare. He made the call while opening the 28th Police Council Meeting at Police Headquarters in Naguru, Kampala. The meeting discussed how police services could be improved to meet the challenges of securing the country.

He said that most African countries fail to maintain security because they planned as if they had unlimited resources. Museveni advised Uganda’s security agencies to work with what was available instead of waiting for all needs to be met before they did their job. He gave the example of the National Resistance Army, NRA, which worked for 17 years without salaries as they struggled to liberate Uganda.

“When we started our struggle in 1971 under FRONASA, we were volunteers. We had to save our country first and forget about salaries. That is why we were able to liberate Uganda. If we had insisted on pay, we would have been stuck,” Museveni said.

He spoke of Uganda’s support by the late Tanzania leader Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and Mozambique’s Samora Machel, adding: “These are some of the things which enabled the NRA to build their strength.” The president emphasized that stability in Uganda came first, followed by security issues before salary and welfare benefits.

He used the example of Somalia, where Ugandan troops have been stationed for 17 years, to drive his point home. He said they would not have survived that time if their existence depended on salaries. He said the strategy should always be in stabilizing a country first and then using that stability to get money to meet other needs.

He added that tribalism and sectarianism hurt national unity and development, warning that individuals who concentrate on tribal divisions end up harming their own communities.

“For example, the Banyankole are cattle keepers; they need Uganda to sell their milk and beef. They would struggle a lot without Uganda. That is why NRM promotes national unity over tribal and religious divisions,” he explained.

Mr. Museveni said that Uganda needs economic integration to grow, highlighting that the country needs regional and international markets. He explained that even powerful nations like Germany and Italy became strong only after they united their small states into one nation.

He called upon the police and army to find cheaper ways of improving their welfare. He called upon them to put up their own houses instead of relying on expensive contractors. He also called upon the police to be housed in barracks to cut costs and ensure better coordination.

He proposed the establishment of police health facilities to reduce the cost incurred in medicine, and that spouses of personnel should be allowed to generate some income from activities within the barracks. The IG said that embracing modern technology in policing is key; that in developed countries, police do not stand on the roads but monitor traffic and crime from control rooms through CCTV cameras.

Museveni attributed this to the fact that Uganda’s military, though built with meager finances, grew stronger with time. He told the scientists that a salary increase for essential professionals is key because their services have to do directly with health and security.

“Even when I am sick, I need a doctor, not a Shakespeare scholar. We must first support those who save lives and stabilize the country, then address other needs,” he said.

The Minister for Internal Affairs, Maj Gen Kahinda Otafiire, reminded the security forces that nobody was above the law. He condemned the past cases where security officers used their positions to oppress the public whom they are supposed to protect.

“They were meant to protect the people, but instead, they turned out to be protecting criminals. If you had a land dispute with some people, they would use their ranks to scare you. If you had a beautiful wife, they would go as far as killing you and taking her. If you had a good car, you would lose your life on it,” Otafiire disclosed.

He has assured the public that this kind of misconduct in the police would no longer be tolerated. Besides, he expressed that taking a person’s life must be undertaken with great care and through lawful procedures.

Inspector of Police Abas Byakagaba welcomed the President to the meeting and presented the achievements of the police force, ongoing reforms, and challenges. He noted that since the last meeting of the Police Council in 2019, efforts had been made to ensure improved policing through better crime-fighting strategies and modern technologies.

“We have expanded in line with His Excellency’s guidance to make sure we can respond quicker to crime. In fact, 13 police regions covering 79 districts and 279 sub-counties bring the services closer to the people to make them secure,” Byakagaba stated.

He listed major tasks set before the police- securing elections, better reaction to crime incidents, professional standards, and higher quality housing and health among police personnel.

The IGP added that the police force would be expanded by recruiting 12,000 professional police constables in the next financial year. He said the force was working to enhance CCTV surveillance to help them check and deter crime more effectively.

Despite challenges such as funding gaps and a shortage of personnel, IGP expressed optimism that with government support, such gaps would be addressed. He also applauded the government for increasing police salaries, adding that it would boost morale and increase professionalism within the force.

Other senior security officials in attendance included the Permanent Secretary of Internal Affairs Lt. Gen. Joseph Musanyufu and members of the Police Council.