Management of the Uganda Police Force, UPF is yet to withdraw all Field Force Unit-FFU personnel from Kampala Metropolitan area more than eight months since president, Yoweri Museveni ordered their removal.
President Museveni in August 2016, directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Gen. Kale Kayihura to remove all Field Force Unit personnel from Kampala and its surrounding districts and replace them with general police personnel.
The order came about, after continued public criticism about the excessive force used by FFU personnel to quell protests and demonstration since the 2011 'Walk to Work' protests by opposition activists. While more than 8000 FFU personnel have since been sent back to the unit headquarters in Naguru in Kampala, almost 2000 are active in Kampala.
The officers are seen deployed strategically in key locations of the city center. They dress in the blue camouflage uniform. Emilian Kayima, the Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, says the remaining policemen are mainly guarding the city square and operating tricycles that were procured at the beginning of the year for patrol.
He says those returned to the unit base, are being reorganized to focus more on the units two core mandates of public order management and handling military like situations including criminal violence, highway security and security along the borders.
The Field Force Police unit was formed as a reserve force to handle public order management and other emergency situations. Most of its personnel were picked from different police training schools, highway patrol unit and the Local administration unit.
