Police case of changing bad eggs on the tray to make good omelet

As happens every so often, the Uganda Police Force (UPF) has made reshuffles and major changes to ‘enhance efficiency on the mandate of protecting and delivering of law and order to the Ugandan citizen.’ Change in management is good, but the UPF has its own peculiarities.
First there is no report on what the last reshuffle achieved in terms of scores on key performance indicators and objectives to justify another one (in a short space of time). Secondly, on some occasions, it is more about movement without progress for the sake of creating a media talking point. They simply keep the UPF with a benign story of hope. Sometimes reshuffles have been used as a convenient way of hiding bad eggs from public scrutiny and outrage.

An officer with a prima facie case of indiscipline is simply deployed elsewhere (out of the public eye) as the dust dies down. They later re-emerge like a phoenix out of the ashes in yet another bout of ‘major changes.’ Of all the changes, one attracts greater attention and scrutiny like that of the spokesperson of the Force, the face of the institution.
It is one of the toughest jobs in the world. The holder of this office is supposed to inform the public about what is going on in the UPF, explain actions and give reasons for failure. If it is a tough job, it has been made tougher by the developments in the field of Internet and communication technology where audio and visual information moves in real time. Mischief by officers goes viral as it happens and before the Force takes a postion. Secondly, it carries an extra burden brought on by the prevailing partisan political dispensation that is directed at perpetuation of the government in power. Of course, we cannot ignore the century old challenges the Force has encountered since its inception when ‘The Protectorate Police’ was created on May 25, 1906 by the British government.

UPF is still blighted by low numbers, low pay, poor housing, lack of transport, inadequate training, lack of facilities for the gathering of evidence, nepotism, and challenges with promotion as a reward for excellence. That majorly explains poor motivation and lack of enthusiasm. Lack of insurance and protection for their lives in a world where criminal gangs have become more aggressive and better equipped with tools of violence.

In case you die in the line of duty, your family is nearly left on their own. So one does not risk their all for the sake of ‘law and order.’ Secondly, they use every available opportunity to work on their pension and ‘retirement benefits.’ That means bribes come in handy. All manner of mischief, with the very grave consequences of compromising the core objective of the Force – protecting lives and keeping law and order- then follow.

Guns have been known to be hired out. Policemen have been caught hunting with criminals. They have engaged in kidnap for a ransom, illegal land evictions, arrests and torture, tampered with evidence to let paying criminals off the hook, told lies in court with self - aggrandizement as the ultimate goal. That is the Force the IGP works with on a daily basis. It is the agency that honest men and women have been favoured to speak for and have been found wanting, for ultimately the challenge at hand is a daunting one.

What explanation (but a lie) does one give when a police officer breaks the camera and back of a journalist carrying out their duty? What do they say when observers in the vicinity using smart phones capture footage of the tragedy and post it on social media where it goes viral even before the police spokesperson gets to know about the incident?

If an Opposition gathering is protected by the Public Order Management Law, but is deemed ‘inappropriate’ by the government in power, which orders the police to stop it leading to a fatal violent clashes -firing tear gas and live ammunition - how does the spokesperson look the public in the eye with a straight face and claim they were acting legally and are non-partisan? What if relatives of the biggest trees and heads in the land use the police to illegally evict people from a piece of land against the law, how does the spokesperson convince the public that the UPF is an independent, impartial body motivated by the quest for equity in carrying out its tasks?

What do they tell the public when individuals who joined the force only yesterday find themselves promoted at breakneck speed ahead of experienced career officers? What answers do they give the public regarding the unexplained wealth young officers have accumulated in a short time that are not commensurate with their salaries and span of service? What truth does one tell when stick-wielding ruffians also known as the Kiboko Squad beat up members of the public to quell demonstrations while the police look on?

The incoming spokesperson Fred Enanga might have a small advantage over Emilian Kayima because at his higher rank, he sits in meetings with the policy makers of the Force and may smartly align his communications with their objectives, but he is still between a rock and a very hard place. Any changes in the UPF in its current status are like re-arranging eggs of the same quality on a tray to make a better omelet.
If they are good and the ingredients plus the dexterity of the cook remain constant, the result will not change. The same argument may be used for bad eggs. Many things in the UPF must first change before changing the positions of the officers becomes meaningful.

Mr Sengoba is a commentator on political and social
issues. [email protected]
Twitter:@nsengoba