Suspects Must Be Held in Gazetted Facilities, Declares Minister Kamuntu

Minister of Internal Affairs, Hon. Ephraim Kamuntu, has announced that any individual arrested by security agencies will henceforth be held strictly in gazetted detention facilities and processed according to the law. Addressing Parliament during a plenary sitting on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, the minister emphasized that constitutional provisions guaranteeing personal liberty must be fully respected.

Kamuntu outlined plans for the Uganda Police Force to collaborate closely with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Judiciary. The goal is to expedite murder trials while discouraging unnecessary police bonds and court bails. Additionally, the government intends to accelerate a community policing model, aiming to deploy 18 personnel and three motorcycles per sub-county alongside intelligence-gathering tools.

While largely characterizing the nation as secure, the minister pointed to isolated crimes driven by land conflicts, domestic disputes, drug abuse, and criminal gangs. However, lawmakers raised various concerns regarding implementation. Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi welcomed the directive on gazetted centres but demanded accountability for individuals previously held in ungazetted locations.

Shadow Minister of Internal Affairs Denes Sekabira highlighted a significant funding gap of nearly Shs200 billion for the community policing initiative. Responding to these financial concerns, Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs Kiryowa Kiwanuka stated that the police force is actively rationalizing available resources through targeted mapping exercises.

For more details on this parliamentary session, read the full report at the Parliament of Uganda.