The sixteen faces of the Uganda Police
IF there is a bond between the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and the 15th AU summit, it is the introduction of new Police uniforms.
By Steven Candia
IF there is a bond between the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and the 15th AU summit, it is the introduction of new Police uniforms.
Just as the “white policemen†(traffic officers dressed in white) came with CHOGM, the AU came with the blue camouflage uniform (Madoa doa) for the mobile police patrol unit (MPPU), giving the Police a kind of military aura.
The new uniform has received mixed reactions, especially from Members of Parliament (MPs).
They demanded that the Ministry of Internal Affairs explains why the uniform is similar to that of the army.
But the Police says there is nothing sinister about the many sets of uniforms. “This is in line with a move to ensure that each unit has its own uniform,†deputy police publicist Vincent Ssekate said.
The sky and navy blue uniform for commissioned officers was introduced by Katumba Wamala, then Inspector General of Police. It was however gazzeted alongside the other 15 in July 2009.
1. Regular khaki
This is made of khaki fabric. It comprises a long-sleeved shirt, trousers and head dress. The shirt has a two-inch cuff at the bottom and has reinforcements at the elbow with a national flag on the left arm. It is worn by general duty personnel. It has the word ‘POLICE’ embroidered above the left pocket. The trousers are ordinary full length with two side pockets.
2. Regular khaki for officers
It comprises a shirt and skirt. The sleeves are elbow long and has breast pockets with square edges. It has a pen and whistle holder on the left chest pocket. The skirt is knee-length, rounded, with inside hip pocket.
3. Regular khaki for SPCs
It is the same as the khaki for general duty, save for the arm band bearing “SPC†on the left.
4. Regular khaki for VIPPU
It has a shirt, skirt, head dress and trousers. The shirt is long-sleeved with the national flag on the left. It has two pockets on both sides of the breast and two pockets below.
It has a pen and whistle holder on the left chest, complimented with the surname embroidered above the right pocket.
VIPPU is embroidered above the left pocket. It has has both knee and buttocks protection and an adjustable string at the bottom of the trousers. The head dress bears the word “POLICEâ€. The rank from SSP is also embroidered.
5. Khaki for training
It has a long-sleeved shirt with shoulder flaps and two pockets on the chest. It has ordinary trousers with two pockets behind and two side pockets near the knee buckle with buttons.
6. White uiniforms
Is has a shirt, trousers or skirt and head dress and is made for all ranks, with slight variation in the design of the skirt for low and high ranking officers. The shirt is similar to that of the regular khaki, save for the word ‘TRAFFIC POLICE’ embroidered above left pocket. Women on duty dress like men. The head dress is a dark blue beret with cap badges and ranks embroidered from the rank of SSP.
7. Blue Madoa doa for MPPU
This is a combination of camouflage of Police blue, grey and white fabric. It has a shirt, trousers and head dress. The shirt is long-sleeved with a string at the waist and not tucked in. It has a national flag on the left arm and elbow protectors.
It has two pockets on either side of the breast and two pockets below, with a string on either side. It also has a pen and whistle holder on the left chest pocket; the surname embroidered above the right pocket. “MPPU†is embroidered above the left pocket. In addition, it has two side and two back pockets and an adjustable string at the bottom of the trousers. The head dress is a cap embroidered with the word POLICE and ranks embroidered from the rank of SSP.
8. Blue/black for anti-riot
It has a shirt and trousers. The shirt is long sleeved and has a national flag on the left arm with elbow protectors. It has a string on the waist and not tucked in. It also has a pen and whistle holder on the left breast pocket. ‘ANTI RIOT POLICE’ is embroidered above the left pocket.
9. Khaki brown Madoa doa for ASTU
It’s camouflage light brown, amber green, dark brown and cream fabric. It comprises the shirt and trousers. The shirt is long-sleeved with a string at the waist and not tucked in, with the national flag on the left arm and has elbow protectors.
The surname and number for other ranks embroidered above the right pocket.
“ASTU†is embroidered above the left pocket. The head dress is also embroidered with the word “POLICE.â€
10. Blue for Marine Unit
This has a shirt, trousers and head dress.
11. Black Uniforms for CT (Counter Terrorism)
Comprises the shirt, trousers and head dress. The shirt is a long sleeved with string at the waist and not tucked in. It has the national flag on the left arm and has elbow protectors. The surname is embroidered above the right pocket. “CT†is also embroidered above the left pocket. In addition, it has two side and two back pockets. The cap has POLICE and ranks embroidered on it from the rank of SSP.
12. Blue for Aviation Police
This includes a shirt, trousers and head dress. The shirts are light blue with shoulder epaulettes. It has a blue beret with a crane badge.
13. White and black for air wing
It has a short sleeved shirt with shoulder epaulettes, with aluminum name tags. The trousers are full length with two inside pockets. It comes with a blue blue beret with a crane badge.
14. Ceremonial suits for other ranks
This comprises a jacket with shoulder epaulettes and trousers with red stripes.
15. Ceremonial suits for officers
This comprises a jacket with shoulder epaulettes and a trouser without red stripes.
16. Brass band uniform
This comprises of a jacket with c blue shoulder epaulette and golden paint. It has red wings, detachable from shoulder with golden stripes. It has an ordinary trouser with red stripes.
IF there is a bond between the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and the 15th AU summit, it is the introduction of new Police uniforms.
Just as the “white policemen†(traffic officers dressed in white) came with CHOGM, the AU came with the blue camouflage uniform (Madoa doa) for the mobile police patrol unit (MPPU), giving the Police a kind of military aura.
The new uniform has received mixed reactions, especially from Members of Parliament (MPs).
They demanded that the Ministry of Internal Affairs explains why the uniform is similar to that of the army.
But the Police says there is nothing sinister about the many sets of uniforms. “This is in line with a move to ensure that each unit has its own uniform,†deputy police publicist Vincent Ssekate said.
The sky and navy blue uniform for commissioned officers was introduced by Katumba Wamala, then Inspector General of Police. It was however gazzeted alongside the other 15 in July 2009.
1. Regular khaki
This is made of khaki fabric. It comprises a long-sleeved shirt, trousers and head dress. The shirt has a two-inch cuff at the bottom and has reinforcements at the elbow with a national flag on the left arm. It is worn by general duty personnel. It has the word ‘POLICE’ embroidered above the left pocket. The trousers are ordinary full length with two side pockets.
2. Regular khaki for officers
It comprises a shirt and skirt. The sleeves are elbow long and has breast pockets with square edges. It has a pen and whistle holder on the left chest pocket. The skirt is knee-length, rounded, with inside hip pocket.
3. Regular khaki for SPCs
It is the same as the khaki for general duty, save for the arm band bearing “SPC†on the left.
4. Regular khaki for VIPPU
It has a shirt, skirt, head dress and trousers. The shirt is long-sleeved with the national flag on the left. It has two pockets on both sides of the breast and two pockets below.
It has a pen and whistle holder on the left chest, complimented with the surname embroidered above the right pocket.
VIPPU is embroidered above the left pocket. It has has both knee and buttocks protection and an adjustable string at the bottom of the trousers. The head dress bears the word “POLICEâ€. The rank from SSP is also embroidered.
5. Khaki for training
It has a long-sleeved shirt with shoulder flaps and two pockets on the chest. It has ordinary trousers with two pockets behind and two side pockets near the knee buckle with buttons.
6. White uiniforms
Is has a shirt, trousers or skirt and head dress and is made for all ranks, with slight variation in the design of the skirt for low and high ranking officers. The shirt is similar to that of the regular khaki, save for the word ‘TRAFFIC POLICE’ embroidered above left pocket. Women on duty dress like men. The head dress is a dark blue beret with cap badges and ranks embroidered from the rank of SSP.
7. Blue Madoa doa for MPPU
This is a combination of camouflage of Police blue, grey and white fabric. It has a shirt, trousers and head dress. The shirt is long-sleeved with a string at the waist and not tucked in. It has a national flag on the left arm and elbow protectors.
It has two pockets on either side of the breast and two pockets below, with a string on either side. It also has a pen and whistle holder on the left chest pocket; the surname embroidered above the right pocket. “MPPU†is embroidered above the left pocket. In addition, it has two side and two back pockets and an adjustable string at the bottom of the trousers. The head dress is a cap embroidered with the word POLICE and ranks embroidered from the rank of SSP.
8. Blue/black for anti-riot
It has a shirt and trousers. The shirt is long sleeved and has a national flag on the left arm with elbow protectors. It has a string on the waist and not tucked in. It also has a pen and whistle holder on the left breast pocket. ‘ANTI RIOT POLICE’ is embroidered above the left pocket.
9. Khaki brown Madoa doa for ASTU
It’s camouflage light brown, amber green, dark brown and cream fabric. It comprises the shirt and trousers. The shirt is long-sleeved with a string at the waist and not tucked in, with the national flag on the left arm and has elbow protectors.
The surname and number for other ranks embroidered above the right pocket.
“ASTU†is embroidered above the left pocket. The head dress is also embroidered with the word “POLICE.â€
10. Blue for Marine Unit
This has a shirt, trousers and head dress.
11. Black Uniforms for CT (Counter Terrorism)
Comprises the shirt, trousers and head dress. The shirt is a long sleeved with string at the waist and not tucked in. It has the national flag on the left arm and has elbow protectors. The surname is embroidered above the right pocket. “CT†is also embroidered above the left pocket. In addition, it has two side and two back pockets. The cap has POLICE and ranks embroidered on it from the rank of SSP.
12. Blue for Aviation Police
This includes a shirt, trousers and head dress. The shirts are light blue with shoulder epaulettes. It has a blue beret with a crane badge.
13. White and black for air wing
It has a short sleeved shirt with shoulder epaulettes, with aluminum name tags. The trousers are full length with two inside pockets. It comes with a blue blue beret with a crane badge.
14. Ceremonial suits for other ranks
This comprises a jacket with shoulder epaulettes and trousers with red stripes.
15. Ceremonial suits for officers
This comprises a jacket with shoulder epaulettes and a trouser without red stripes.
16. Brass band uniform
This comprises of a jacket with c blue shoulder epaulette and golden paint. It has red wings, detachable from shoulder with golden stripes. It has an ordinary trouser with red stripes.