KAMPALA, Uganda — Uganda’s Police chief has moved the Land Police Protection Unit (LPPU) from the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) to the Directorate of Human Rights and Legal Services in a restructuring aimed at improving how land disputes are handled.
Police spokesperson Rusoke Kituuma revealed the operational review during a weekly press briefing at Police headquarters in Naguru, Kampala, on Monday. Uganda’s Police chief, Abas Byakagaba said the change was intended to improve efficiency in addressing land conflicts, which often involve both civil and criminal elements.
Commissioner of Police James Kusemererwa has been appointed commandant of the newly restructured unit, with Assistant Commissioner of Police Musani Sabila, former regional Police commander of Kampala Metropolitan East, serving as his deputy.
Under the new structure, the CID will now primarily focus on high-profile criminal cases, deviating from the previous practice where all cases, including land disputes, were referred to CID headquarters in Kibuli. The CID will now only handle referral cases that cannot be managed at other levels, a change expected to expedite the resolution of the country’s numerous land-related conflicts.
“Land matters are the busiest and most sensitive cases we receive at Police stations,” Kituuma said, noting that these cases frequently involve domestic violence, fraud, and physical confrontations.
He explained that previously, while the CID investigated the criminal aspects of land disputes, operational directives came from the directorate of operations, now headed by AIGP Frank Mwesigwa, leading to bureaucratic delays. The restructured LPPU will now have full operational and investigative control, allowing for quicker and more effective responses to land-related conflicts.
“We believe this streamlining will ensure better coordination, faster response and more effective investigations into land-related conflicts,” Kituuma emphasized.
To further bolster legal capacity within the force, Kituuma added that every policing region now has an assigned lawyer to provide guidance on operational and administrative legal matters, including land disputes. While not every police station will have a resident legal officer, he asserted that regional coverage would be sufficient.
This is not the first time the LPPU has faced scrutiny. In 2018, former Inspector General of Police Gen. Kale Kayihura suspended the unit following allegations of officers colluding with land grabbers. His successor, Okoth Ochola, oversaw a subsequent overhaul of the unit.
President Yoweri Museveni also appointed a commission of inquiry, led by Justice Catherine Bamugemereire, between 2017 and 2019 to investigate land issues. The commission recommended the establishment of specialized land courts and a land ombudsman, though most of these recommendations have yet to be implemented.
To curb evictions, Museveni previously directed that no eviction should occur without the approval of district security committees led by resident district commissioners (RDCs).
The focus on land disputes comes as Uganda grapples with significant financial losses due to fraud, including land-related scams. Deputy criminal investigations director Beata Chelimo reported that Uganda lost 474.6 billion shillings to fraudsters last year, with land transactions being a common area of fraudulent activity.
In other police news, Kituuma announced a comprehensive review of the deployment of Special Police Constables (SPCs) nationwide. He stated that the review would determine which SPCs, typically employed on short-term contracts, would have their contracts renewed based on operational needs, age, qualifications, and performance.
Separately, Derrick Basalirwa, the deputy national co-ordinator for the National Office for Counter-Targeted Criminal Justice, cautioned parents about the vulnerability of students to traffickers during school holidays, noting that over 3,777 trafficking cases, with children comprising 80% of victims, have been recorded since 2023.
