Members of Parliament have raised the alarm over recurring salary delays affecting Uganda’s police officers, urging the Ministry of Public Service to swiftly address what they described as a deepening payroll crisis.
During a heated debate in Parliament on Thursday, MPs voiced frustration over a dysfunctional system that continues to leave security personnel unpaid for months, citing bureaucratic inefficiencies as the root cause.
The issue came under sharp scrutiny when Minister of State for Trade David Bahati, speaking on behalf of Defense Minister Gen. Kahinda Otafiire, explained that the disruptions were due to mismatched personal records and complications in transitioning between payroll systems.
According to Bahati, many officers were left without pay after failing the 2023 Auditor General’s verification exercise due to inconsistencies such as incorrect names, birth dates, or missing national IDs. These officers were marked as “partially verified” and excluded from salary disbursement.
He further noted that the transition from the old Integrated Personnel and Payroll System (IPPS) to the newer Human Capital Management System (HCM) was contributing to the problem.
Salaries must first be processed through HCM before IPPS to prevent duplicate payments, a sequence which inevitably slows down the process.
“While no salaries are lost, the two-system process inevitably slows payments for those still on IPPS,” Bahati told Parliament.
However, MPs from across the political spectrum questioned the validity of these justifications and demanded more transparency.
Tororo Woman MP Sarah Opendi was particularly vocal, demanding clarity and accountability.
“Where are the unutilized salary allocations shown in audit reports? Officers suffer in silence fearing victimization,” she said, calling for a list of affected officers and a clear timeline for payroll migration.
MPs also raised concerns about the broader implications of delayed salaries, citing growing frustration among police officers and potential risks to public safety.
Public Service Minister Grace Mugasa responded by highlighting the discovery of widespread payroll fraud. “We found thousands of ghost workers costing taxpayers Shs5 billion yearly,” she said, defending the migration to the new system as essential to eliminating fake entries. However, MPs countered that every new system seemed to introduce new problems rather than solving old ones.
Opposition Leader Joel Ssenyonyi underscored the human toll of the crisis. “These officers earn peanuts that arrive late if at all. No wonder we see rising public hostility from police they’re hungry and desperate,” he said, urging immediate government action.
NRM’s Godfrey Onzima criticized the recurring system changes, saying, “Why can’t Uganda develop one functional payroll platform that lasts a decade rather than this endless system-hopping?”
Sheema District Woman MP Rosemary Nyakikongoro pointed out a glaring contradiction in the government’s explanation: “Recruits must present national IDs to join the force. How then do they mysteriously lack identification during payroll processing?” Her remarks resonated across the chamber, further fueling suspicions that systemic failures not individual errors were to blame.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa brought the debate to a close with a firm directive, instructing the Ministry of Public Service to present a full solution within fourteen days.
“This house won’t tolerate endless excuses while those protecting us go unpaid,” he said, capturing the chamber’s unified frustration.
The situation has exposed deeper flaws in Uganda’s public payroll management, where attempts to modernize and root out corruption are instead penalizing genuine employees.
With police morale deteriorating and public safety on the line, Parliament’s bipartisan pressure may be the push needed for lasting reform.
