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Military Police evict police families from army barracks
The commissioner in-charge of Training, Mr Felix Ndyomugenyi, at the Police Training School, Masindi, with an expert recently. In the background are the houses that police instructors reside in. PHOTO BY ANDREW BAGALA
What you need to know:
Housing problem. Police have a shortage of 30,000 housing units but they expect to get 7,300 housing units soon.
Police officers have reportedly clashed with Military Police officers as the latter allegedly evicted their families from army houses they have been residing in Masindi Army Barracks in Masindi District.
The police officers had refused to vacate the houses they have been residing in for more than a decade until alternative accommodation is provided.
A police source, who preferred anonymity because he is not authorised to talk to the press, at the weekend said more than 100 families have been evicted since last Monday.
“We were evicted without any notice. Our property was thrown outside thus a bitter exchange between the affected officers and the Military Police,” the source said. However, Masindi Artillery spokesman, Lt. Lawrence Draga, denied there was an eviction.
“Really, it wasn’t an eviction and secondly the Military Police wasn’t involved when the police was shifting. The two institutions work harmoniously. But what I can confirm is that we want to use the facilities because of the expansion of our work,” Lt. Draga said yesterday.
No use of firearms or shooting was reported in the alleged incident.
Household property of the evicted officers was loaded onto waiting trucks and driven three miles away to the Police Training School in Kabalye.
“We had to mobilise the police trainees to construct for us huts in which our families are now residing in,” another source said.
Masindi Police Training School Commandant, Assistant Commissioner of Police Moses Kafeero confirmed what he described as a relocation from the army barracks to the police training school.
“I can confirm that our officers were moved from the army barracks to Kabalye but we had a meeting with the army and we agreed that we move because they also want to expand,” Mr Kafeero said yesterday.
He said they have already got in touch with the Inspector General of Police, Lt. Gen. Kale Kayihura, to construct houses for the affected officers using hydroform technology, adding that they have manpower.
