UGANDA, Kampala | Real Muloodi News | The Ministry of Internal Affairs is in the final stages of procuring private investors for the construction of 69,000 housing units intended for police, prisons, and the Directorate of Immigration, with the process expected to conclude next month in March 2024.
Mr Richard Edyegu, the police director of logistics and engineering, disclosed that multiple private investors have shown keen interest in participating in the accommodation project.
He affirmed the ministry’s commitment to meeting the three-month deadline set by the Minister for Internal Affairs, Maj Gen (Rtd) Kahinda Otafiire, stating that proposals would be completed within a month.
The ambitious accommodation project, valued at USh4.2 trillion, is slated to be executed under a public-private partnership (PPP) framework.
Last year 2023, the Ministry of Internal Affairs initiated a proposal to construct 69,000 housing units to address the acute shortage of accommodation faced by the Uganda Police Force, Uganda Prisons Services, and Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control.
The inadequacy of housing facilities has led to substandard living conditions for personnel within these institutions, with some forced to share units under deplorable circumstances.
If the PPP initiative materialises, the police force is set to receive the largest share of 54,000 housing units, followed by approximately 10,000 units for prisons, while the remaining units will be allocated to Immigration officers.
Mr. Edyegu clarified that the project would be distributed among several companies due to its magnitude, emphasising the need for multiple stakeholders to facilitate its successful implementation.
He confirmed the completion of the bidding phase and the transition to the requests for proposals stage, during which the ministry will provide detailed work plans while investors submit their technical and financial proposals.
Under the proposed terms, the government plans to repay the private investors within ten years. Despite initial attempts to engage Edicomsa International, a Spanish company, in February 2023, concerns arose regarding the lack of comprehensive project details, including expenditure estimates, land acquisition plans, and repayment modalities.
Consequently, the Ministry of Finance mandated a competitive procurement process and the establishment of a technical committee to oversee the project’s execution.
The committee’s responsibilities include verifying land ownership, assessing house designs, and devising repayment strategies.
Recent findings by the Uganda Human Rights Commission underscore the urgency of addressing housing challenges within the police force, linking poor accommodation to human rights violations.
The report revealed that many police officers resort to renting accommodation outside barracks to escape unfavourable living conditions, a practice that compromises their safety and security.
As the government advances its efforts to address housing deficiencies among law enforcement agencies, the PPP initiative represents a significant step towards improving living standards and enhancing operational efficiency within the police, prisons, and immigration departments.
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