By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
NATIONAL
The Uganda Police Force has been urged not to relax despite a reported decline in crime rates.
On Monday, police announced a 10.2% reduction in reported crime in 2025, according to the annual crime report launched by Inspector General of Police Abas Byakagaba.
The report shows that 196,405 cases were recorded in 2025, down from 218,715 in 2024. Of these, 115,301 cases were submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, with 79,291 taken to court. A total of 24,899 cases resulted in convictions, leading to 31,732 offenders being sentenced.
Byakagaba attributed the decline to reforms within the force, including improved command structures, adoption of technology and expansion of community policing.
“We realised that a clear chain of command has greatly improved how decisions are made and implemented across the force,” he said.
However, UPC warned against complacency, calling for strengthened community relations and increased facilitation of the force.
“Police must prioritise restoring their relationship with the community to improve intelligence and public confidence,” said Muzeyi Faizo, the party’s head of media and communications.
Addressing journalists in response to the report, Faizo also urged police to prioritise rebuilding trust with communities to enhance intelligence gathering and crime prevention. He called for increased public sensitisation on timely reporting of crime and proper preservation of crime scenes to support investigations and prosecution.
“People should be educated on the necessity of timely reporting of crime and preserving crime scenes without interference. This makes investigations easier as credible evidence is made available,” he said.
The party further advocated a multi-sectoral approach to crime prevention and urged government to increase funding and logistical support to the police.
UPC argued that understaffing and poor welfare continue to hinder effective policing, noting that, on average, one police officer in Uganda serves more than 1,000 people and handles over 54 cases, far above the recommended international standards of 500 people and 12 cases per officer.
According to the party, the staffing gaps have contributed to case backlogs and delays in the justice system.
UPC also raised concern over the handling of land-related disputes, citing cases of forged land titles, illegal evictions and violence, sometimes resulting in injury or death.
“The land question has to be fairly resolved and ordinary people protected in their property,” the party said.
The annual crime report further highlights land-related conflicts among persistent sources of disputes in the country.
