MPs raise concerns 'ghosts' are back on police payroll

By Priscilla Nakayenze

The parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has tasked Uganda Police Force to explain the existence of ghost workers on its payroll.

PAC says an audit into the Police's payroll revealed that the Force was back cavorting with some 2,042 'ghost workers'.

At least 1,347 of these suspected 'ghosts' were confirmed to be former officers who are now deceased, absconded or retired, while 695 others had received salaries worth Shs355 million but could not be accounted for by Police.

" A total of 230 individuals whose names were not on payroll appeared for the validation exercise with all the pre-requisite documents," the Auditor-General's report says.

"These individuals who were omitted from the validated payrolls upon confirmation by the Accounting Officer regarding their status."

Ghosts and Uganda Police have been payroll fellows for decades, with the 1999 expose by Lady Justice Julia Sebutinde starting an era of accountability in the Force.

However, the 2,042 more ghost workers in the payroll suggests all earlier efforts could be falling into space.

The auditors revealed inconsistencies in details such names, NINs, date of birth and gender inclusive.