By Mukembo Wilfred
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Abbas Byakagaba, has encouraged private security companies to absorb election police constables who were recruited to support security operations during the 2026 general elections.
Byakagaba said the election constables will be decommissioned after the conclusion of the election cycle for which they were recruited and trained.
He made the remarks while meeting executive members of the Uganda Private Security Association (UPSA), the umbrella body for all registered private security organizations in the country, at Police Headquarters in Naguru on Wednesday.
The IGP noted that up to 99,000 election constables who may wish to join the private security sector would help address the human resource gaps currently facing the industry, while also improving the quality and standards of services offered to the public.
“Police will offer its training camps in different regions of Uganda and provide clothing, food, transport, and medical services as part of government support through the Police to bolster the training and professionalization of private security organizations—not only for election constables but for all private security guards in the country,” Byakagaba said.
He described private security organizations as “force multipliers” and a “service to the nation,” despite operating as private businesses. He added that police support in logistics would significantly lower the cost of training private security guards, which has previously hindered the program, and would also reduce pressure from high-profile individuals seeking direct police protection.
Byakagaba further stated that private security organizations operate as an attachment to the Police, noting that this is why government deemed it necessary to regulate and mandate them to supplement the national police force.
He directed that a committee be constituted to study and guide the modalities for police-led training of private security guards, beginning with the retraining of election constables and later extending to serving and newly recruited private guards.
The announcement was warmly welcomed by UPSA executive members led by Grace Matsiko, who described the initiative as a strategic intervention by both the Police and government. She also cited other ongoing support measures, including the procurement of weapons, aimed at enhancing the sector’s operational capacity.
Members of the association thanked the IGP for the guidance and called upon private security companies to take advantage of the offer by submitting the number of election constables they intend to absorb.
It was noted that many election constables are young and energetic men and women who risk unemployment once the election period ends.
The meeting, which also addressed other key matters concerning the private security industry, was attended by the Director of Operations, AIGP Frank Mwesigwa; Director of Human Resource Development and Training, AIGP Moses Kafeero; Director of Logistics and Engineering, AIGP James Aparo; Acting Commissioner of Police in charge of Private Security and Firearms, Eddie Serujongi; and other senior police officers.
