The Uganda Police Force (UPF) requested an additional budget of Shillings 26 billion from the Defense and Internal Affairs Committee of parliament to pay for the upkeep of CCTV cameras across the nation.
Legislators have demanded an extensive examination of the entire CCTV project after raising concerns about the caliber and functionality of several security cameras.
The Committee, led by Rosemary Nyakikongoro, questioned the police during a meeting with various security services on Tuesday. The Committee claimed that the security camera project had mostly fallen short of Ugandans’ expectations.
Because its own officer was recently killed by attackers close to a security camera, Nyakikongoro noted that the police, as an investigative branch of the government, ought to be more effective in producing video footage to show offenders.
Nyakikongoro’s opinion was backed up by Jonathan Odur, the member of parliament for Erute South, who called some of the security cameras “dummies” that are unable to capture any footage.
Before the government can provide further funding for the CCTV project, Bashir Lubega, a representative representing the Mubende Municipality, suggested that the project be thoroughly reviewed.
The quality of the film and the longevity of the placed cameras are typically impacted by the weather, according to Yusuf Sewanyana, the acting director of ICT in the Police, necessitating routine repair.
To complete Phase III of the CCTV project, which would close existing gaps in the Kampala Metropolitan Area and other places around the nation, the Police is currently seeking Shillings 187 billion.
In contrast to the current fiscal year’s increased budget of Shillings 975.4 billion, the Police will receive Shillings 830.6 billion in the fiscal year 2023/2024.
