The Uganda Police Force has reiterated its commitment to implementing the directive issued by President Yoweri Museveni regarding the issuance of police bonds but is awaiting guidance from the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to ensure proper application.
During a press briefing at the Police headquarters in Naguru, Kampala, Police on Monday the Kampala Metropolitan Area Spokesperson Patrick Onyango emphasised that the institution does not question directives from the President but ensures their appropriate execution.
“Police as an institution, we do not question the directive of the President; we act to implement that directive accordingly,” Onyango stated.
However, Onyango highlighted concerns about potential misinterpretation of the directive by junior officers, particularly in cases that are not explicitly covered under the directive. He explained that while the President has specified certain cases that should not qualify for police bond, there is a risk of overreach by officers, which could lead to procedural abuse.
“There are particular offices that are interested in cases that are not supposed to be granted bond. But our junior officers may misinterpret that, thinking even cases like assault should be denied police bond, which might lead to misuse of the directive,” Onyango warned.
To address this, Onyango revealed that the IGP is in the process of developing guidelines to ensure clarity and consistency in the application of the directive. These guidelines are expected to provide detailed instructions to officers and prevent potential misuse.
“When those guidelines come out, I believe even next week, when my boss [the IGP] is here, he might be able to give the official position,” Onyango noted.
The spokesperson reaffirmed the police’s readiness to enforce the directive responsibly while awaiting further instructions. “As of now, we are not opposing the directive; we are only working to ensure its proper implementation,” he said
The Police’s response comes amidst public discourse on balancing effective law enforcement with the protection of citizens’ rights. The forthcoming guidelines from the IGP are expected to provide much-needed clarity on how the directive will be enforced at the grassroots level.
However, according to the Minister of Information, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, who speaks for the government, it is not yet considered a directive as it would require an amendment to the Constitution. “If it becomes necessary to achieve the President’s goal, we shall table it before Parliament and debate it,” he stated.
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