Mbale, Uganda: Residents of Mbale Northern City Division have issued an urgent appeal to the Uganda Police Force, demanding the deployment of a patrol vehicle to help curb the rising wave of crime in the area.
The call was made on Friday, May 09, during a police medical outreach held at Nakaloke Central Police Station, presided over by Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Geoffrey Musana.
The outreach provided free medical services, including HIV testing, blood pressure checks, TB screening, and treatment for hypertension, diabetes, and other non-communicable diseases.
Despite the positive health impact, the gathering quickly turned into a platform for security concerns, with local leaders citing the absence of a patrol vehicle as a major bottleneck in crime response.
Mbale Northern Division Deputy Resident City Commissioner, Were Yahya, said repeated written appeals to police authorities have yielded no results.
“Our police station lacks a patrol vehicle, yet it serves a wide area,” Yahya said. “Currently, the only available police vehicle is stationed in the city center, leaving Northern and Industrial Divisions without any transport. Criminals know this and are taking advantage.”
He warned that with elections approaching, the security vacuum could worsen if the Uganda Police Force fails to provide essential transport such as pickup trucks and motorcycles.
Councillor Ali Muuku of Namanyonyi Ward added that even incidents at Namanyonyi Police Station often go unanswered due to transport constraints. “AIGP Musana must treat the issue of patrol vehicles as a priority,” he urged.
Division Police Commander SP Byomugabe Conrad admitted the transport gap and lauded boda boda riders and community members who volunteer to ferry officers to crime scenes. “We’ll continue operating at a slow pace until we receive logistical support,” he said.
AIGP Musana used the event to encourage residents to report misconduct by officers to the Police Standards Unit. He also emphasized the importance of following up on police files, advising the public to always ask for reference numbers and names of CID officers managing their cases.
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