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Wunyi disclosed that the Force's budget has been deducted of 227.799b
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By Our Reporter
Parliament — The Uganda Police Force is grappling with severe budget constraints that threaten its ability to effectively maintain law and order, Aggrey Wunyi, Under Secretary of the Force, revealed today during a parliamentary session.
Appearing before Parliament’s Defence and Internal Affairs Committee to present the Police’s 2025/26 Budget Framework Paper, Wunyi disclosed that the Force has been allocated Shs895.222 billion for the next financial year. This marks a Shs227.799 billion reduction from the Shs1.123 trillion allocated for the current 2024/25 financial year.
Aggrey Wunyi
Wunyi highlighted the growing challenge of funding operational activities due to the limited budget, which primarily covers salaries. “When you look at the Police budget, it looks big, yet over 50% is for wages only. We are supposed to have a ratio of 1:4 for wage to non-wage components. Currently, it stands at 1:0.8,” he explained. “We have less money to perform work and are only able to pay salaries.”
Need for more personnel and resources
The Under Secretary emphasized the need for additional funding to recruit 10,000 new police officers to address the widening police-to-population gap. “We are 45 million Ugandans, and the Police size is 47,952, giving us a ratio of 1:958, far from the recommended 1:500. This recruitment is essential, not because of the upcoming elections, but to ensure adequate policing across the country,” Wunyi said.
He also pointed out the dire state of operational funding, particularly for fuel, which has hampered the Force's ability to respond to incidents effectively. “With the current fleet, we can only afford 2.5 litres of fuel per day per vehicle, yet we need at least 10 litres per day to carry out policing. Persistent arrears have also accumulated to Shs112 billion, worsening the situation.”
Parliament’s role
Wunyi urged Parliament to consider increasing the budget allocation to address these critical needs, warning that failure to act would significantly impact the Police Force’s ability to maintain law and order. The discussion comes amidst rising concerns about security as the country gears up for the 2026 general elections. The committee pledged to review the Force’s funding request as part of the broader debate on the 2025/26 national budget. However, with budget cuts affecting several sectors, it remains uncertain whether the Uganda Police Force will receive the additional resources it urgently needs.
Impact on policing
The budget shortfall underscores broader systemic challenges within the Force, including outdated equipment, understaffing, and unpaid arrears. Observers fear that unless the financial gaps are bridged, the Police Force may struggle to fulfill its mandate, jeopardizing public safety and security nationwide.
Torch Media Africa
