MPs raise concerns over welfare gaps in police subcounty model

KAMPALA - The implementation of the government’s sub-county policing model, aimed at strengthening the security presence in rural areas, is facing significant staffing and logistical gaps, according to the latest Auditor General’s report and discussions in Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

Officials from the Uganda Police Force, led by Deputy Inspector General of Police James Ocaya, on Tuesday (March 10) appeared before PAC to respond to audit queries for the financial year ended December 2025.

The committee, chaired by Mawogola County MP Gorreth Namugga, raised concerns about slow progress in deploying personnel, inadequate transport, and poor welfare conditions in police barracks.

The sub-county policing model, introduced in 2020, was designed to improve security by establishing a police station in every sub-county with 18 officers, three motorcycles, radio communication equipment and a counter phone.

According to the September 2025 implementation report, the model requires a total of 39,420 officers across 2,190 sub-counties and town councils nationwide.

However, the Auditor General noted that only 12,080 officers (30.6%) of the required personnel have so far been deployed in 20 out of the country’s 32 police regions.

This means that 12 regions, representing 37.5%, have no deployments under the programme, while the remaining 20 regions are understaffed, with an average of just 10 officers per sub-county.

The shortfall, auditors warned, could significantly affect the effectiveness of the policing model intended to extend law enforcement services closer to communities.

According to the September 2025 implementation report, the model requires a total of 39,420 officers across 2,190 sub-counties and town councils nationwide. (Credit: Miriam Namutebi)

The model requires 6,570 motorcycles to facilitate operations across the 2,190 sub-counties.

However, police have distributed only 3,155 motorcycles so far, representing 57% of the requirement, leaving a deficit of 2,341 motorcycles. Some regions, including Mt Moroto and Kidepo, had no motorcycles at the time of the audit.

Responding to the concerns, Undersecretary and accounting officer Aggrey Wunyi told MPs that the police leadership is working to address the staffing and mobility gaps.

He explained that 10,000 police probationer constables are currently undergoing training and are expected to be deployed after completion.

“We recruited 10,000 PPCs who are undergoing training anchored on the sub-county model. We hope that by July, they will complete training and we shall deploy them,” Wunyi said.

On transport, he noted that the situation had slightly improved since the audit.
Police, he said, had received another consignment of 1,000 motorcycles, though registration delays had slowed their deployment.

“The problem has been that registration of motorcycles is slow lately because the registration regime changed. But the situation has since improved,” he said.