A plenary sitting on Tuesday witnessed emotional exchanges among legislators as they grappled with the brutal killing of Uttam Bhandari, a prominent city moneylender, by a police officer.
The incident, which occurred on Friday, May 12, 2023, has sparked widespread controversy, with the motive behind the murder being linked to a high-interest-rate commercial loan that Bhandari had provided to the officer back in 2020.
Initially, the police issued an official statement attributing the officer’s actions to mental health issues. However, after the suspect was apprehended at the Busia border town, the police changed their stance and denied any connection to mental illness.
During the plenary session, Speaker Anita Among expressed strong condemnation of the shooting and emphasized that low pay within the civil service, particularly among armed uniformed personnel should never serve as a justification for committing murder, as in the case of Constable Ivan Wabwire.
The Speaker highlighted that Parliament had recently conducted an investigation into the SACCO (Savings and Credit Cooperative) after a whistleblower exposed the alleged misuse of funds by senior police officials, who were reportedly enriching themselves while restricting members’ access to their own savings through deceptive saving plans.
As a result, the Speaker directed the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Public Service to present statements in the House on Wednesday regarding the status of EXODUS SACCO and the salary review commission, respectively, for further debate.
Lawmakers responded passionately to the Speaker’s statement, calling on the government to expedite the establishment of a Salaries Review Commission to address issues such as minimum wage and mental health concerns among civil servants.
Joseph Ssewungu, the Member of Parliament for Kalungu West County, demanded a detailed statement from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Defense regarding the recent surge in assassinations within the country, urging the need for effective remedies.
Fred Opolot, the Member of Parliament for Pingire County, expressed deep concern over the shooting incident and stressed the importance of the line ministries providing a satisfactory explanation to restore public trust in the country’s security system.
Emmanuel Ongiertho, the Member of Parliament for Jonam County in Nebbi District, noted that the suspect had chosen to seek a commercial loan instead of utilizing the Police’s EXODUS Cooperative Savings and Credit Society Ltd (SACCO), which has recently faced allegations of corruption.
Additionally, the Member of Parliament for Busiki County called for stricter gun control measures, advocating that even licensed firearm holders should not have unrestricted carrying privileges.
The tragic incident has ignited a broader discussion on the need for comprehensive reforms within the police force and the urgency to address systemic issues related to mental health, corruption, and accountability.