By Sadique Bamwita
The State Minister for internal affairs, Gen. David Muhoozi, has challenged senior police officers, who successfully completed a 4-month Intermediate Command and Staff course, to desist from unethical acts, but rather exercise a high sense of discipline and professionalism when executing police work.
The Minister, who passed out 45 senior police officers at the Police Senior Command and Staff College-Bwebajja, noted that in order to clean the image of the Uganda Police Force, the Police Human Resources Department decided to retool its high ranking officers by building their capacities in areas of leadership.
While passing out 45 senior police officers, who completed an intermediate command and staff course at Bwebajja Senior Command and Staff College, Minister David Muhoozi explained, that the training came at the right time, when there is the need to build capacities of senior police officers with skills required to deal with the complex environment out there. He however asked the senior police officers to respect their ranks, position and police uniform while executing their duties.
“Go out there and ensure public safety and security. Make sure you use the acquired skills and competencies to plan and execute police operations. Demonstrate your political consciousness and ideology, be accountable to the people you serve. Demonstrate this at your workplace through improved performance and effectiveness,” said Gen. Muhoozi.
Gen. Muhoozi underscored the need for team work among police officers, and revealed that his ministry is committed to improving the welfare of all police officers.
“Command is critical to ensure discipline and therefore exercise high sense of discipline and integrity. Be mindful of how you apply your skills. The internal affairs ministry intends to improve the police infrastructure and renumeration of police officers. You should know the dynamics of the areas you command, create social networks and desist from mischief,” Gen. Muhoozi appealed to his officers.
The representative of the Inspector General of Police, Brig. Jesse Kamunanwire, tasked senior officers to use acquired skills when policing the community on top of leading by example and to be a source of inspiration in the community they serve.
“The course was intended to equip you with modern skills and competencies in modern policing. Therefore, you should know that the skills you acquired are not for personal consumption, but are to be applied in the community you serve. Professionalism can only be reflected through your character, not the good grades obtained by you. I implore you to serve and uphold the dignity of our country, “Gen. Muhoozi sounded his appeal.”
The Commandant of Bwebajja Police Senior Command and Staff Training College, Senior Commissioner of Police, Moses Kafeero Kabugo, said the four-month-training was intended to enhance skills and competencies of the senior police officers, and that the objective of training was met.
“The training begun on September 9, 2023 and successfully ended on January 25, 2024. It enhanced senior police officers with command and competency skills,” SCP Kafeero told the internal affairs minister.
The Assistant Commissioner of Police, Dr. Barbra Elungat, urged the senior police officers to be focused on job, be well disciplined and be good ambassadors of police and the police training college.
The students’ representative, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Prudence Haguma, pledged to effectively use the knowledge and skills acquired to police the community, and appealed to fellow senior police officers to avoid laziness.
