On behalf of the entire Uganda Police Force and on my own behalf, I welcome and express my deep appreciation that Your Excellency the President have again found time amidst your busy schedule to honour our invitation to preside over this pass out.
Your Excellency, your presence, the endless support and the invaluable strategic guidance rendered to us is testimony of your passion and continued commitment in building a professional Police Force.
Sir, permit me also to welcome all the invited guests and thank them for honoring our invitation.
Today’s occasion gives us another opportunity to once again demonstrate to the world on how Uganda has managed to train amidst the global Covid -19 pandemic crisis and successfully pass out another batch of trainees.
Sir, we greatly appreciate your wise and visionary strategic guidance you gave us to grow both in quantity and quality. The total Police Force strength now stands at 52,000 against the population of about 42 million which translates into a police population ratio of 1:832 as compared to last year’s ratio of 1:893.
Your Excellency, it is also with joy and deep satisfaction to report that as a constitutional obligation in terms gender responsiveness and balance, out of the 5,200 recruits, 1,417 were female recruits which translates into a 27.25%. This is yet another manifestation of your commitment in ensuring gender equality in Public Service.
Sir, in line with your strategic guidance, our key priorities are in the following areas: –
1. Rolling out the CCTV Projects to all parts of the country and fill the camera coverage gaps under Phase III.
2. Addressing the current terror threats through community policing and equipping the personnel with appropriate tools for response.
3. Addressing the general welfare of personnel with specific regards to office and staff accommodation and income generation.
4. Observance of Human Rights and fighting corruption.
5. Continued capacity building through Training in all fields of policing.
6. Patriotism and ideological orientation.
7. Automation of management systems to improve management and supervision of both human and non-human resources.
8. I wish to note that while the police population ratio has improved as indicated above, there is need for annual recruitment of personnel in order to further reduce the police population ratio to the International Standard of 1:500.
Your Excellency, we therefore still crave for your endless support and strategic guidance in fulfilling all the above dreams.
To the Recruits, policing is a very rewarding career. But the rewards of the profession are for those who are disciplined, committed, patriotic, patient and pro-people. As young and new members of the Force, consider yourselves fortunate to have been selected and entrusted to serve.
You have joined a noble profession that calls for continuous training and personal sacrifice to ensure effective and efficient performance.
You must distinguish yourselves by carrying out your duty with integrity, honesty, discipline and respect to the population. Ensure that you adhere to every norm, rule and law that governs your operations. The country has invested so much in you and therefore, we expect you to serve the people of this country unreservedly. Lead a simple but meaningful life and protect yourselves from preventable diseases resulting from reckless sexual lifestyles.
As I conclude, I once again welcome and thank you, your Excellency for honoring our invitation. I also wish to express my sincere appreciation to the Government for supporting the Uganda Police Force. In particular, I pay special tribute to your Excellency for personal interest in UPF capacity building and professionalism. Please accept my sincere gratitude and assurance that as the Inspector General of Police, I will strive to guide and shape these new police officers to serve and uphold the dignity of our Country.
With those remarks, I humbly invite the Honorable Minister of Internal Affairs to give his remarks and thereafter, invite His Excellency the President of the Republic of Uganda.
Thank you, sir,
FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY
J.M. Okoth-Ochola, (Esq.)
INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE
