Lawyer Steven Kalali has dragged government to court over the dilapidated and poor accommodation for lower rank police officers.
Kalali who filed his suit on Thursday at the Civil Division of the Kampala High Court seeks a declaration that the continued habitation of police officers in dilapidated structures is violation of their right to a decent living.
He believes the appalling state in which police officers explains the continued brutality of these police officers against civilians.
Kalali also seeks an order for the government of Uganda to provide decent accomodation for all police officers in the country. The Attorney General of Uganda Kiryoowa Kiwanuka is the respondents in this suit.
Kalali states that housing units in Mbale, Jinja and Nsambya Police Barracks remain unkempt old and destroyed despite and the Auditor General Reports on their state.
Kalali argues that Uganda is a signatory to Regional, International and treaties, which emphasize the right to a healthy environment. These include among others the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, International Covenant on economic, social and cultural rights among others. He explains that the Uganda Police Force receives budgetary allocations annually part which should be used towards the well-being of the officers.
“There is a need for a healthy and sustainable environment since the police officers have been sabotaged and cannot exercise the right to express themselves. The right to health brings together all humanity and it encompasses the environmental dimensions of the right to life, culture non discrimination among others, which the government has failed for over 35 years now,” says Kalali
Kalali’s application is backed by an affidavit by Eliphaz Isabirye, one of the police officers residing in Nsambya barracks who contends that they sleep like pigs. “I wish to state that there are no decent housing facilities and even some/most of them have no electricity yet the Uganda Police Force has a full welfare department and each year is allocated money in the budget presented to Parliament,” Isabirye states in his affidavit.
High court is yet to sermon the Attorney General to respond to the application.
Compiled by Rashidah Nakaayi
