City police barracks will not get water supply over indiscipline

KAMPALA. Police have said they will not reconnect their city Police barracks of Naguru and Nsambya to National Water and Sewage Corporation (NWSC) until disciplinary action is taken against their officers for misusing water.
Both barracks that accommodate more than 15,000 police officers have been without tapped water for two weeks after NWSC disconnected them over accumulated water bills.

Police spokesman, Mr Andrew Felix Kaweesi, said officers in both barracks have been illegally supplying water to the neighbouring businesses yet bills have been going to the police force.
“Police is enforcing discipline on our personnel. The washing bays around the barracks have been using water from the police water system. We installed pre-paid meters and we only pay for water that is enough for our officers,” Mr Kaweesi said.
Ever since NWSC disconnected them, police officers have reportedly been depending on contaminated spring well.
When this reporter visited the affected barracks, he was welcomed by a terrible smell emanating from blocked toilets. Police management insist that many of the people in the barracks aren’t supposed to live in barracks.
Mr Kaweesi said the water shortage will lead to self-regulation among their personnel.

The water supply may resume next month.
At Naguru barracks, families of police officers were seen fetching water at a well spring at Stretcher on Nakawa-Ntinda Road.
Most police barracks and stations have only flush toilets and a day without water supply makes life unbearable for both the officers and detained suspects.
Mr Kaweesi said they are also going to install prepaid electricity meters to control misuse of power in barracks.
According to the budget paper, police requires Shs22.2 billion for electricity and Shs7.455billion for water annually. But police is given Shs11.66 billion for electricity and Shs6.029 billion for water, which they say is inadequate.
Finance recently ministry proposed that installation of prepaid meters, which they said will lead to saving Shs2 billion on utility bills. At least 50 per cent of police units have installed prepaid meters.

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