Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has been ordered to immediately surrender all accounting and human resource functions of the National Police Service to the National Police Service Commission. This decision was made during a tense session with the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee.
The meeting, chaired by Butere MP Tindi Mwale, was supposed to address questions about financial transparency in the police service. However, it quickly became confrontational when lawmakers accused police officials of intentionally hiding important financial records.
Members of Parliament expressed frustration with the continued delays in providing payroll and accounting documents. In a strong statement, MP Tindi Mwale instructed IG Kanja and the police service’s accounting officer to hand over all payroll information and financial data to the National Police Service Commission without further excuses.
He reminded them that the police are funded by taxpayers and must be accountable to the public. He warned that no government agency should act above the law, especially when public funds are involved.
The order is part of a wider effort by Parliament to bring more transparency to the police service, especially in how money is managed and staff are hired or promoted. Many MPs believe that allowing the National Police Service to control payroll and human resources has made it easier for corruption and mismanagement to take root.
They say the Constitution clearly gives the National Police Service Commission the role of managing staffing and personnel issues, and this must be respected.
During the session, IG Kanja tried to defend the delay in handing over the records. He said there were internal processes and sensitive issues that needed to be handled carefully. But MPs were not convinced.
They said accountability and transparency should never be compromised in the name of security or secrecy.
Several lawmakers noted that the police service has in the past been accused of hiding behind “classified operations” to avoid scrutiny.
This latest directive reflects a stronger push by Parliament to hold the police service accountable. It also shows that tension still exists between the National Police Service and the National Police Service Commission.
These two bodies have often clashed over who has the final say in managing the police. Some lawmakers feel that unless firm action is taken, genuine reforms in the police service will remain just talk.
By forcing the Inspector General to surrender these functions, Parliament is sending a clear message that the era of hiding financial data is over. The police must now work under full oversight, and the National Police Service Commission must take full control of staff and budget matters. Many are watching to see if this directive will finally lead to real change.
