Parliament has now summoned Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja amid escalated supremacy wrangles pitting the National Police Service (NPS) against the National Police Service Commission (NPSC).

This was after the commission’s chief executive Peter Lelei appeared before the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee (PAC) yesterday, where he lamented the intentional placement of bottlenecks by IG Kanja to hinder the commission from executing its mandate.

The Butere MP Tindi Mwale-led committee heard that the IG had declined to release the payroll to the commission for audit even as the commission chair Lelei called on the House team to intervene and help him remedy the situation.

The watchdog committee, however, questioned Lelei over “reluctance” in enforcing his constitutional mandate of overseeing and operating the payroll.

Notably, article 246 (3) of the constitution empowers NPSC the mandate to recruit and appoint persons to hold or act in offices in the service, confirm appointments, and determine promotions and transfers within the NPS.

“We had difficulty accessing the payroll for audit to determine the implementation status of the NPSC policies and resolutions,” stated Lelei.

The CEO further shocked the MPs after he submitted that the commission’s lack of access to the payroll had made it impossible to carry out a payroll and human resource audit.

He, however, subsequently noted that his team had made intentional steps towards improving the commission’s relationship with the NPS as it was a key requirement in their access to information.

“This parliament has assisted us before and we are ready to come here together to be cross examined together. We urge parliament to enable us to take over the human resource function of NPS,” submitted Lelei.  

The House team, however, pushed the CEO over his alleged slacking off in the implementation of his role. This was in line with an auditor General report for on the NPS commission’s audited accounts for the 2022-23 financial year which had highlighted the commission’s ineffectiveness in retaining control of the police payroll.

The denial of access, the audit report observed, made the auditors unable to determine implementation of policies.

 “You are being indolent because the constitution gives the commission control over the NPS payroll. Go and work and don’t sit on your back,” said Funyula MP Wilberforce Oundo.

Aldai MP Maryanne Kitany was concerned that the commission lacked a strategic plan. 

As revealed by the audit, the commission developed a strategic plan for the 2019-22 years with special focus on human resource and welfare needs of the police officers through formulation and implementation of transformative human resource management policies.

This includes recruitment, appointment, promotions, transfers, disciplinary, human resource audit, appeals and police welfare. The term of the strategic plan lapsed in June 2022.

“The law gives the commission explicit functions in detail. You should be telling us that you have started an audit and not seeking our help over the NPS,” she remarked.

On his part, Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera sought to understand how the payroll ended up with the NPS and drew similarities to the bible where Johanna defied God’s instructions.

The appearance of the IG before the House team alongside the commission’s top brass is now expected to ignite the rapprochement of the two institutions while improving the running of affairs.