Uganda Police Force Responds to Allegations of Missing Salaries

Kampala, Uganda – In response to rising public concern and New Vision publication dated April 10, 2025, the Uganda Police Force (UPF) has officially addressed allegations of missing salaries for some officers clarifying that while officers are generally paid on time at the end of each month, a series of technical and administrative anomalies have led to isolated payment delays. This announcement was issued from Police Headquarters in Kampala.

According to the UPF press release, the affected salary payment complications including mismatches between payroll and nominal roll data, failure to meet government validation requirements, bank identity mismatches, erroneous retirements, data migration issues and the removal of deserters from payroll.

These bureaucratic and digital hiccups have disrupted timely payments for several officers, prompting growing frustration across the force.

One of the most significant issues cited involves differences between an officer’s records in the nominal roll versus the payroll system resulting in automatic rejection of salary payments.

 Additionally, the Auditor General’s 2023 validation exercise uncovered that several officers could not meet identity verification standards with missing ID cards, incorrect birth dates and absence of appointment letters being common faults.

These officers were not validated and thus excluded from the payroll.

Police also confirmed that some officers removed from the payroll were classified as deserters, those who abandoned their posts without authorization.

The reinstatement process for such individuals is only initiated after thorough disciplinary and verification procedures often delaying re-entry onto the salary list.

Adding to the administrative burden, the police force cited delays caused by the transition to a new Human Capital Management System which involved reorganizing and migrating data, a process that occasionally resulted in incorrect entries and delayed salary payments.

 Some officers are also mistakenly retired based on inaccurate age data sourced from NIRA (National Identification and Registration Authority).

Uganda Police Force emphasized that no officer is deliberately denied their salary and all concerns flagged by unit commanders undergo review and verification by the Directorate of Human Resource Administration. Officers deemed ineligible for payment are only removed from the payroll after structured assessment.

“The Uganda Police Force is committed to addressing these human resource challenges as they arise, ensuring that all officers are paid accurately and on time,” the press release concluded.

While this official communication seeks to restore confidence and clarify the situation, the revelation of systemic inefficiencies may further ignite public demand for digital reforms and heightened accountability in Uganda’s civil service payroll systems.

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