There been reports of the new equipment arrived just before the General Election, the Police was expected this. I will come with quotes that tell what is expected if the Uganda Police Force follows it and get the equipment that was budgeted for, Take a look!!
First Allocation to the General Election:
“30% Payment for 113 operational vehicles and 40 specialized vehicles for policing the 2016 general elections under a 4year credit financing facility with effect from FY 2014/15 made” (…)”35% payment towards the supplied 2 twin engine helicopters made” (…)”Additional 112 Operational vehicles, 46 specialized vehicles and 1,900 motor cycles to support the management and provision of security for 2016 National General Elections procured” (Budget Framework Paper, P: 19).
The budget for vehicles is 62,539,322 UGX. For the helicopter engines are 9,641,658 UGX. But the money is in the allocation in that part of the budget framework. We know that this part is not the main part that matters, but it still is money for it. There is more important what comes here!
Post-Election Police Budget:
“Policing the post 2016 general elections (Shs 51.1bn)” (…)”The experience is that after elections there is always a spate of violence which normally takes a big chunk of police budget to contain. During that time, every police officer gets out of the barracks to the field to ensure law and order. The operational budget covers feeding, consumables, fuel, maintenance of vehicles & equipment, training and intelligence gathering. This requires additional budget of Shs 51.1bn” (Budget Framework Paper, P: 22).
So I am sure the cars seen on the docks in Mombasa in Kenya that are procured for the Ugandan Police Force, was used under the budget are for the Post-Election, because the 60M UGX is not getting the Police Force far. So it must be additional budget that they got; which is substantial allocation for buying equipment, vehicles and training. So I am sure a hunch of that went to the new expensive mambas and Armored Personnel Carrier (APC).
Kenyan media see the imported cars at Mombasa docks today:
“Uganda has imported armoured police cars, similar to those Kenya acquired at the end of January, ahead of its general election set for February 18. The vehicles have features including water cannons, riot controls and wedged front plows. The Star spotted them at G-section in the Port of Mombasa but Kenya Ports Authority officials declined to comment on the “sensitive” matter” (Elkana, 2016).
This here was to be expected, IGP Kale Kayihura wants to make the bloody mess of “Walk to Work” again, and has put money where his mouth is. Or the expensive big-man security vehicles that has the capacity to shut down demonstrations. They will continue to oppress the public in the name of the National Resistance Movement, and his boss Mzee! As he speaks of violence and expected that he needs big guns to shut down opposition as he has done in the past. This here is just a manifestation of it.
I think you catch my drift and assessment of the actions of the police. As they are following blindly the orders of Mzee, something else IGP Kayihura recently said, he speaks peace right now as long the election observation monitoring (EOM) are in the country. So that when they leave: he will go full-front against the opposition as he and his crew in the Police has done so much in the past. So I have hard time believe the peace rhetoric of Kayihura, it’s kind of hard to believe from him and his loyal cronies. Before I go to deep, I stop here. Peace.
Reference:
Budget Framework Paper – Justice, Law and Order, – Vote 144: Uganda Police Force – Paper overview for voting in allocation for Budget 2015/16.
Elkana, Jacob – ‘Uganda imports armoured police cars ahead of February 18 general election’ (04.02.2016) link: http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2016/02/04/uganda-imports-armoured-police-cars-ahead-of-february-18-general_c1288972
MinBane 