By Our Reporter
Speaking to officers from Bukwo, Kween and Kapchorwa, on Thursday as he began his rectification and ideological orientation tour in the Sipi policing region, Kasingye warned the force is now going to be strict on issues to do with corruption.
“We are now having a zero-tolerance policy on corruption. If any officer is implicated in bribery and other corruption-related incidents, you will not be transferred to another district as it was before. We are going to try you and if found culpable, we shall dismiss you from Police,”Kasingye warned.
Many police officers have at various police stations been implicated in soliciting for money to offer some of the services which are ordinarily supposed to be free like the police bond.
In other cases, officers, especially those from traffic are accused of demanding for money from members of the public before releasing their impounded vehicles as well as to set free those implicated over several offences.
Speaking to officers on Thursday, the Police’s Chief Political Commissar insisted that the force will now be more strict on officers implicated in any corruption tendencies.
“If we ensure discipline and avoid corruption, I have no doubt that we are going to change the image of the police force into what Ugandans expect of us. We are emphasizing the tenets of the community policing program where the police should be in touch with the public that we serve,”Kasingye told officers.
He insisted that police officers should reach out to the communities and listen to their problems in a bid to find a solution.
According to Kasingye, as the force’s Chief Political Commissar, he will move to all police units in the country to understand the conditions under which the officers are serving and bring some of their concerns to the police management for redress.
This development comes at the backdrop of a warning by President Museveni for the umpteenth time against corruption by police officers.
Speaking on Sunday as he met senior police officers led by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Maj Gen Paul Lokech, Museveni said he will not entertain corruption in the law and order enforcement body.
“In the recent rankings, the cup of corruption was taken by police. You scored 70% in corruption and that means you got a distinction. Corruption in the Police Force should stop,” Museveni said.
The president’s remarks on corruption came after a report by the Inspectorate of Government and Uganda Bureau of Statistics that ranked the police as the most corrupt government institution.
The Fourth National Integrity Survey report 2019/2020 released last month indicated that police scored 70% to lead other government institutions in corruption.
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