Asan Kasingye: We don’t Deduct Police Wages

The Director Interpol and International Relations in Uganda AIGP Asan Kasingye has dismissed claims that have been circulating in the media that salaries of Formed Police Unit (FPU) contingent to AMISOM were being deducted without their knowledge.

“We would like to correct the wrong impression created in some section of the media allegedly by some of our officers who are deployed in the second Formed Police Unit (FPU) contingent to AMISOM. It’s alleged that their salaries are deducted without their knowledge and that they have not been paid ever since they reported on duty to Mogadishu,” said Kasingye in a press statement this morning.

Interpol boss further said that the delayed salaries for the FPU contingent to AMISOM have been caused by the bureaucratic technicalities in the financial and accounting systems of the African Unions Peace Fund which is not under the control of Uganda Police.

He also assured the police officers and their families to be patient as their salaries are being processed in the shortest time possible.

Here is the full statement from the Interpol boss;

We would like to correct the wrong impression created in some section of the media allegedly by some of our officers who are deployed in the second Formed Police Unit (FPU) contingent to AMISOM. It’s alleged that their salaries are deducted without their knowledge and that they have not been paid ever since they reported on duty to Mogadishu.

 It should be remembered that the African Union requested African member states to contribute Formed Police Units Contingent to Somalia. Uganda responded by sending the initially trained and selected Officers for Dafur, Sudan of 140 officers to Somalia, after consultations, and approval of the governments of Canada, and the Netherlands who had provided logistical support for the Dafur deployment, as well as United Nations and African Union.

Uganda deployed the first Contingent of 140 FPU personnel to Somalia on the 1st August 2012 for one year tour of duty. This contingent was replaced by the second contingent of 140 personnel on the 27th July, 2013.

To facilitate this deployment, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Government of Uganda and the African Union Commission (AUC) was entered into on the 29th June 2012. It was signed by the Minister of State for Internal Affairs on behalf of the Uganda Government and the Director of Peace and Security on behalf of AUC. The MOU provides for the status, legal framework and other institutional arrangement.

 A deduction of US$ 200 is expressly provided for under the MOU. This money is meant to cover administrative costs incurred by the Government of Uganda/Uganda Police Force in preparing for the deployment and maintaining the FPU in Somalia. These includes among others:

•       Pre-deployment training

•       Maintenance/replacement of contingent owned equipment

•       Inspection of troops in Somalia

•       Acquisition of office equipment and motor vehicles for FPU training

•       Imprest for the FPU in Somalia

This is not unique to Uganda, all other countries deploying in Somalia are deducting between US $200- 300 for the same reasons.

This money is deposited in the official account which was opened by the management of Uganda Police in Bank of Uganda and not in an unknown account. The details are shown below:

Account Title: Formed Police Unit

Currency: USD

Account No: 003440088400001

For the record, it should be corrected that the payments made to the Police Officers deployed to AMISOM under the police formed unit is not salary but a Subsistence Mission Allowance.

The Officers’ Police salaries back home in Uganda remains flowing to their personal bank accounts on a monthly basis and are paid in time with the rest of the public servants.

The delay in the payment of the subsistence allowances are caused by bureaucratic technicalities in the financial and accounting systems of the African Unions Peace Fund. This is beyond the control and influence of Uganda Police Force.

However, the allowances for the month of October have been processed and will be credited into officers’ account as soon as possible.

They are only waiting for the month of August and September to be processed, which am sure will be handled urgently.

We want to inform the families and relatives of the Officers deployed in Somalia and the country at large that the Officers are well, healthy and being treated with respect by the African Union.  

AIGP ASAN KASINGYE

Director Interpol and International Relations

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