Police food suppliers threaten to withdraw services over shs30 billion debt

Contractors supplying food items to the Uganda Police Force have given a 14 day ultimatum to the institution to have their shs30 billion debt is paid or else they withdraw services.

Addressing journalists at Speke Hotel in Kampala on Tuesday, the suppliers numbering to over 290 said efforts to have the debts running as far as 2016 paid have proved futile.

“We have tried to meet relevant officers including the Inspector General of Police, Police undersecretary, Director of Logistics and other concerned officers but we only get promises from them,” said Badru Kisitu, the group’s leader.

“They keep promising payments but nothing has ever materialized.”

According to the contractors, they have always tried to stop supplying food to police but noted there are clauses in their contracts that stop them from withdrawing their services.

“In the three year contract we sign with police, there is a clause that says we have to continue supplying despite not being paid on time. Despite many of our colleagues pulling out, many of us had to continue supplying because of the contract we signed,” said Shaban Ssekitooleko, one of the suppliers.

The contractors said many of their colleagues who are choking on loans used to purchase the supplies have had their property taken by banks and moneylenders.

Way forward

The suppliers have now given police a 14 day ultimatum or else they will withdraw their services to the force around the entire country.

“During these days, we shall petition parliament to force police pay the shs30 billion,”Kisitu said.

If the threats by suppliers are fulfilled, police officers around the country may take days without anything to eat.

Police speaks out

When contacted to comment about the matter, the police spokesperson, Fred Enanga admitted the force has not yet paid the debts to suppliers but noted the issue is being handled by the Finance Ministry.

“The issue of suppliers falls under domestic arrears which were taken over by the Ministry of Finance in all government institutions for a review,”Enanga told the Nile Post on phone.

He said that the Finance Ministry contracted Ernst & Young to carry out an audit into the arrears before seeing how to pay them.

“They (Finance Ministry) is now reviewing the report by Ernst and Young with before restructuring payment.”

Before his sacking, the then Inspector General of Police, Gen.Kale Kayihura told the police council that there is need for intervention to reduce on problems of money spent on food supplies to the force.

"We need to find a way to grow our own food like the Prisons but also to create revenue generating activities," Kayihura said.