Over 100 Former Special Police Constables- SPCs who were deployed to beef up security durinf the 2021 election activities in Kabale District have received their salaries after a series of protests.
After expiry of their contracts in April this year, the constables who were trained and deployed to provide security on polling stations in the 2021 elections decried none payment of their salaries and failure by Police Authorities to give any explanation about the matter.
The climax of the tension came up after the Inspector General of Police ordered that they return Uniforms that were given to them, but the Spcs instead stormed Kabale Police station demanding their unpaid salaries.
They also vowed to confiscate the Police uniforms until their salaries were paid.
They (SPCs) last month threatened to wear the uniforms and stage illegal road blocks and night patrols with intention to forcibly get money from car drivers and motorcyclists in a move to recover their salaries after learning that some of their counterparts across the country had received theirs.
On Tuesday they were invited to Kabale Central Police Station through phone messages notifying them that their salaries had arrived.
However, some SPCs expressed dissatisfaction after receiving their three months’ salaries and demanded for more investigation into the delay of their pay.
Sheilla Kesande, a resident of Nyakambu cell in Southern Division, Kabale Municipality says she had almost given up on the money and demanded that action should be taken on whoever caused the delay of their payment.
Kesande who received UGX 1.2M for January, February and March says she will use the money to start up a hair saloon as her new source of income.
Manzi Uthman Ali said he had accumulated a lot of debts hoping that the money would come as early as March 2021, and the received salary would all be spent in clearing debts.
Uthman demanded that Uganda Police Force improves on the system of communication in case of issues affecting the staff, especially salary delays.
Elly Maate, the Kigezi Region Police Spokesperson expressed concern over the impatience of former SPCs to the extent of castigating officials of conspiracy to withhold their salaries.
Maate said that the government can never fail to pay its dues as long as there is evidence that one was an employee in any of its agencies.
The Kigezi Region Commander SSP Dan Byaruhanga explained that the SPCs who received their salaries yesterday were recruited “late” in the second batch of 123.
He explained that the approval of their recruitment was delayed by the Human Resource Office at the Headquarters in Kampala and hence they had not received appointment letters by the time they were deployed at the polling stations.
Byaruhanga added that the payment of salaries could not be possible before the arrival of the appointment letters.
After receiving their money, the Former SPCs handed in batons and Uniforms that included a khaki shirt and trouser. They were also given certificates of appreciation from the Uganda Police Force.
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