By Julius Odeke

4^th June 2012:

It was all smiles and ululations for the families of Uganda Police officers who were promoted at the piping exercise at Soroti Lions International Club last week.

In the Mid-Eastern region, which covers the districts of Soroti, Kumi, Katakwi, Kaberamaido, Amuria, Bukedea, Ngora, and Serere, all district police commanders and some criminal investigations department personnel were promoted to the rank of superintendent of police.  Four officers in the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) were also decorated.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) for Soroti Ben Etonu urged the police to be vigilant amidst threats from the terrorist group Al-Shabaab that has threatened to attack cities in East Africa.

“Even us here in Soroti, we are in a porous area because of Soroti Flying Academy that attracts the attention of terrorists into the region…you need to be on standby because anything can happen. Never take matters of security for granted by forgetting your mandatory duties,” Etonu said.

The RDC also urged the police officers to work hard and stop pulling down those who have successfully achieved in the force. “To be up there calls upon patience, hard work, and discipline. But if you don’t exhibit that in the force, never expect any tangible change in your life…some of us have come from very far to reach where we are,” Etonu said.

Superintendant of Police Charles Ouma, a representative from the force’s Human Resources department urged the officers who had not been promoted to be patient because there is something being done at headquarters.

“I must tell you that many more promotions are being organized at the headquarters, but it’s only those who are hardworking and patient in the vocation that will benefit,” Ouma said.

At the same event, the Regional Police Commander [RPC] Alison Agaba said the force has challenges but they are likely to be overcome as the force is undergoing professionalization. “All we need to do is keep loving our force because we cannot give to anyone else what we chose while in our full faculties,” she said.

Agaba said the police force is now decentralizing most of the services down to regional headquarters, adding that exercises like these ones [piping] shall no longer be conducted in Kampala.  “This is because we want the communities that we serve to be part and parcel of such exercises so that they can appreciate and correct us.” Agaba said.

She also thanked the Indian community in Soroti for making the occasion colourful.  “They have contributed robustly to this function and even their attendance here is of paramount importance. They have sacrificed their precious time to be with us in this exercise.” the police chief said.

In the midst of all this, it easy to forget that the same Uganda Police Force has been severely criticised by parliament, Uganda Human Rights Commission, and both local and international human rights activists for serious violations of human rights – especially during the opposition-led walk-to-work protests.

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