KAMPALA — The Uganda Police Force has passed out 403 officers, including 300 men and 103 women, following a month-long intensive training in investigative skills, leadership, and interdepartmental collaboration at the Police Skilling Centre in Kikandwa.
The pass-out ceremony, held on Tuesday, was officiated by the Minister of State for Internal Affairs, Gen. David Muhoozi, who applauded the force for advancing training despite infrastructural limitations.
“This is my maiden visit to Kikandwa, and my first observation was that there are still modest environments for purposes of training still work in progress,” said Gen. Muhoozi. “But what is apparent is the will to conquer and to make do with whatever modest environment you have to train people, and I want to commend you and the participants.”
Gen. Muhoozi emphasized the importance of investigative efficiency in solving Uganda’s persistent case backlog.
“One of the biggest challenges in the administration of justice is case backlog. Most cases, even very good ones, are stillborn because of poor investigations,” he said. “I’m glad that the leadership of the police has seen it fit to converge officers from CID, forensics, canine, and PSU to reflect and understand how all these elements fit into more effective investigations.”
He further urged officers to keep pace with evolving crime trends: “Crime is evolving. The criminal is getting smarter by the day. You need to cope at matching speed, including using IT. You need to be as innovative as the criminal.”
Inspector General of Police Abbas Byakagaba reiterated the force’s commitment to modernizing investigations.
“This course is helping us focus on the complex and fast-evolving crime landscape,” said Byakagaba. “We are leveraging analytical tools for video evidence gathering and artificial intelligence. We are also pushing forward phase three of the CCTV project.”
With the country preparing for political primaries and general elections, Byakagaba noted the course’s timely alignment with national needs.
“This course fits very well. We are sure it has improved our officers in managing the forthcoming exercises,” he said, adding that 10,000 probation police constables will soon report to training schools in Kabalye, Oryim, and Ikafe.
CID Director AIGP Tom Magambo described the course as a milestone in building cohesion among officers who had previously worked in silos.
“One of the biggest gaps has been cohesion. Some of them were the same intake but had not met for many years. Bringing them together to run, eat, and train together has been a huge success,” said Magambo.
He highlighted the need for teamwork beyond police departments, calling for closer collaboration with the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), judiciary, and the public.
“None of us will work alone. We want to extend this integration to the DPP’s office and other stakeholders in the criminal justice chain,” he said.
Magambo also acknowledged the struggles with working conditions but expressed hope in ongoing reforms.
“We had a two-hour session with the IGP this afternoon. While we’re not yet where we want to be, there is movement in areas like dressing, promotion, mobility, and working environment,” he noted. “Keep working and keep the faith, so the good times our leaders are planning for can find us.”
The ceremony began with demonstrations of investigative techniques from graduates and concluded with the awarding of outstanding performers.
Police leadership reiterated the importance of mindset change and ideological clarity, key components emphasized during the training.
“This training was not only about acquiring technical skills,” said Byakagaba. “It was also about strengthening ideological clarity patriotism, Pan-Africanism, social-economic transformation, and democracy as emphasized by His Excellency the President.”
The officers are expected to play critical roles in upcoming national programs and elections, with police leadership confident in their readiness.
“We are very prepared to deliver the forthcoming general elections and all the processes that precede them,” said Byakagaba. “This is an extra energy to the programs of the country.”
The course reflects a broader effort by the Uganda Police Force to reform its Criminal Investigations Directorate, enhance professionalism, and respond effectively to evolving crime and national demands.
