Thursday, March 14, 2013
MPs on the Defense and Internal Affairs committee of parliament have
voiced their disquiet about the manner in which 140 Ugandan police
officers were deployed to Somalia in August last year without
Parliament's approval.
The legislators, although accede that the constitution and the Police
Act are 'silent' about deployment of police personnel outside Ugandan
borders, contend that parliament should have given its seal of approval
to the deployment given its oversight role over the police force.
"Parliament is the one that regulates the police force, but we are
not officially aware of your deployment to Somalia," committee
chairperson, Milton Muwuma said during an interface with the top brass
of Uganda police, including Inspector General of Police, Lt. Gen. Kale
Kayihura on Tuesday.
MPs contend that information about the mission became public
knowledge when deployed officers started complaining about deductions
and late payment of their allowances.
MPs Hussein Kyanjo, Fungaroo Kaps and committee vice chairperson,
Simon Mulongo called for the summoning of the sector Minister, James
Baba, to parliament to seek mandate for the Somalia mission.
However, Inspector General of Police, Lt. Gen. Kale Kayihura told MPs
that the Attorney General had given a legal opinion okaying the
deployment without parliamentary assent, thus paving way for Uganda to
join Nigeria in sending police personnel to the war-torn country.
"We sought the opinion of the Attorney General and he endorsed the
deployment without parliamentary approval. The constitution is not
explicit in this circumstance, unlike in instances where the army is
deployed outside the country," Kayihura said.
Uganda accepted to send police personnel initially meant for Darfur
on the request of African Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) after Sudan
declined to grant them visas.
This followed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ugandan
government and the African Union on a host of issues pertaining to the
welfare of the personnel to be deployed, funding of the mission and
compensation in cases of death and grave injury.
Kayihura justified the USD$200 monthly deductions from their USD$1028
monthly allowances saying, it goes into meeting administrative costs
like training.
The Commandant of the police force in Somalia, John Nuwagira said the
mission covers only those aspects pertaining to keeping law and order,
although in instances where they come under insurgent fire, they are
mandated to defend themselves.
Uganda has played an integral role in pacifying Somalia, contributing the first batch of soldiers under AMISOM in 2007.
Uganda has previously deployed its police forces under the auspices of the UN in Liberia, Kosovo, East Timor and Darfur.