Police, prisons run out of food
Dec 04, 2008
PRISONS and Police officers are fast running out of food and uniform, the Parliament has been told.
By Mary Karugaba
PRISONS and Police officers are fast running out of food and uniform, the Parliament has been told.
The state minister for internal affairs, Matia Kasaija, told the defence and internal affairs committee that if the situation is not checked, a crisis is bound to happen at the two institutions.
Kasaija on Thursday urged the Parliament to ask the finance ministry to release over sh13b to avert the crisis that will also affect the inmates.
Without revealing how much was allocated to the forces under the food and clothing items in the 2008/9 budget, Kasaija told the committee that the finance ministry has not responded to their reminders.
“We have written to and talked with the Minister of Finance but nothing has been done,†Kasaija told the MPs.
The minister only made the revelation after Matthias Kasamba, the committee chairman, said they had received complaints from the Prisons.
Referring to a letter written by the Prisons officials, Kasamba said the institution needed sh10b as supplementary budget to purchase food and clothing.
“The ministry should be brought to book. Failing to provide enough funds for the forces’ basics is a mishap,†he noted and added that they would summon Dr Ezra Suruma, the line minister.
Kasaija said the Police force had incurred a food and clothing debt of sh3b for the officers in the north and east of the country.
On the request of the MPs, Kasaija briefed the committee on the status of the Prisons and Police land across the country.
Kasamba said there were reports of plans to sell off the Nsambya Police barracks, yet the Parliament had halted the process.
The minister requested for more time to respond to the land issues but revealed that plans are underway to relocate Kigo Prisons to Kikagyo, a Kampala suburb.
MP Jessica Alupo tasked the minister to explain the four-month delay in paying the Police constables.
Kasaija attributed the delay to technicalities involved in cleaning the payroll and said their money had now been disbursed.
Kasamba said his committe was handling the matter with urgency.
PRISONS and Police officers are fast running out of food and uniform, the Parliament has been told.
The state minister for internal affairs, Matia Kasaija, told the defence and internal affairs committee that if the situation is not checked, a crisis is bound to happen at the two institutions.
Kasaija on Thursday urged the Parliament to ask the finance ministry to release over sh13b to avert the crisis that will also affect the inmates.
Without revealing how much was allocated to the forces under the food and clothing items in the 2008/9 budget, Kasaija told the committee that the finance ministry has not responded to their reminders.
“We have written to and talked with the Minister of Finance but nothing has been done,†Kasaija told the MPs.
The minister only made the revelation after Matthias Kasamba, the committee chairman, said they had received complaints from the Prisons.
Referring to a letter written by the Prisons officials, Kasamba said the institution needed sh10b as supplementary budget to purchase food and clothing.
“The ministry should be brought to book. Failing to provide enough funds for the forces’ basics is a mishap,†he noted and added that they would summon Dr Ezra Suruma, the line minister.
Kasaija said the Police force had incurred a food and clothing debt of sh3b for the officers in the north and east of the country.
On the request of the MPs, Kasaija briefed the committee on the status of the Prisons and Police land across the country.
Kasamba said there were reports of plans to sell off the Nsambya Police barracks, yet the Parliament had halted the process.
The minister requested for more time to respond to the land issues but revealed that plans are underway to relocate Kigo Prisons to Kikagyo, a Kampala suburb.
MP Jessica Alupo tasked the minister to explain the four-month delay in paying the Police constables.
Kasaija attributed the delay to technicalities involved in cleaning the payroll and said their money had now been disbursed.
Kasamba said his committe was handling the matter with urgency.