Human Rights Lawyer Steven Kalali has expressed his frustration over the failure by the high court to hear his case in which he sued government over the poor and dilapidated housing of police officers in the country that are below the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police-AIGP.
In April last year, Kalali filed the said application seeking court to compel government to provide decent housing for police officers as a human rights necessity, however up to date, the case has never been heard.
When the matter came up pm Wednesday , he was rather informed by the Court's Deputy registrar Agnes Alum that Presiding Judge Dr.Douglas Singiza was currently handling Election petitions.
The case was further adjourned to the 19th of April 2023.
But an affidavit sworn in by an officer at the rank of AIGP, only identified as Richard indicate that police officers below the rank of AIGP are entitled to decent shelter in pursuit of their work and that government has been dispersing money to them to cater for accommodation.
Kalali is contesting this affidavit and claims that the money given is not enough.
"This we say is a total lie because the Auditor generals report we are using in court is very clear. Each year they are given money and the police uses this money to purchase ammunition,tear gas among others".Lawyer Kalali.
Some police officers are living in sorry and dilapidated housing that were built way back in the 1930s, like those in Jinja police barracks and Nsambya.
In his application, Lawyer Kalali says that police officers should not live in such places that are unfit for human habitation.
He states that due to the sorry state of their accommodation and living, some police officers have resulted to Misusing the gun while in pursuit of their work which is a danger to society.
