At least 247 out of 426 police officers recently declared retired were prematurely removed from the Uganda Police Force payroll before their official retirement dates, the Monitor has learned. The issue stemmed from inconsistencies between officers’ dates of birth as recorded in the payroll system, their personal files, and data held by the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA).
Sources indicate that a routine data audit aimed at cleaning up the payroll inadvertently affected officers who were not yet due for retirement.
Mr. Aggrey Wunyi, the Police Undersecretary and Accounting Officer, confirmed the error and noted that efforts are underway to correct it.
“So far, 140 officers have been reinstated on the payroll, but 143 others remain off it due to unresolved discrepancies in their birth records,” he said. “These officers are currently not receiving salaries.”
Wave of Desertions
In a related development, the Uganda Police Force has seen a spike in desertions, with 86 officers reported to have deserted since January 2025. They were officially listed as deserters earlier this month, suggesting an average of 21 officers leaving each month.
Click here to join our WhatsApp Group and Receive Daily News
However, 65 of those who deserted have either been apprehended or voluntarily returned and are now facing disciplinary proceedings.
“Since January, 86 officers have deserted. Of these, 65 are back and undergoing disciplinary action,” Mr. Wunyi said on Friday in response to Monitor’s May 15 story, “How policeman spent 8 years without salary,” involving Officer Raymond Malinga.
Mr. Wunyi said Malinga’s case does not reflect standard payroll practices within the Force. “Police officers receive their salaries regularly at the end of the month. Even new probationer police constables have been paid,” he stated. However, he acknowledged that delays can occur for specific officers due to individual circumstances.
Malinga’s Case
Mr. Wunyi explained that Malinga joined the police in 2007 and served in the Criminal Investigations Department. In April 2015, he was declared a deserter (Ref HRM 40/131/01) after allegedly escaping from lawful custody at Jinja Road Police Station, where he was held over a rape investigation (CRB 863/2019).
He was later re-arrested, charged with escape, and remanded to Luzira Prison in October 2020. After being released on bail, Malinga allegedly jumped bail, prompting the court to issue an arrest warrant.
His claim for Shs 42 million in salary arrears from 2015 to 2023 was dismissed, with Mr. Wunyi citing Section 29(1) of the Police Act, which disqualifies officers from earning pay during unauthorized absences or imprisonment.
Other Payroll Issues
Mr. Wunyi also cited additional factors that contribute to salary delays: failure to meet validation requirements from the Auditor General’s 2023 audit, mismatched banking details, date-of-birth inconsistencies, and technical complications during the transition from the Integrated Personnel Payroll System (IPPS) to the Human Capital Management System (HCM).
Also Read: Amama Mbabazi’s Daughter Wanted Over Unpaid Shs 450m Loan
