KAMPALA .The Police Force has kicked off training of 10,000 probationer police constables (PPCs) who will aid in keeping law and order in next year’s General Elections .
The PPCs have already reported to training schools across the country, in what government says is a major step towards increasing the national police force to 64,000 officers.
This is the largest single recruitment of constables in Uganda’s history. Unlike in previous years where training was centralised, this latest intake has been distributed to three training schools — Kabalye in Masindi, Olilim in Katakwi, and Ikafe in Yumbe — to ease congestion.
If all trainees complete the course successfully, Uganda’s policing ratio will improve from one officer for every 833 citizens to one for every 703. This still falls short of the United Nations-recommended standard of one officer per 500 civilians.
According to Police Accounting Officer Mr Aggrey Wunyi those who are undergoing training are the ones who passed the interviews .
The recruitment, which started on March 10, 2025, involved a rigorous interview process before successful candidates were shortlisted. Mr Wunyi said those admitted will undergo additional scrutiny during training.
“It is our standard procedure to ensure every recruit meets government requirements. For example, the training is so intense that it poses health risks to people with underlying conditions. Such cases are discontinued from the course for their own safety,” he explained.
At the start of training, recruits undergo medical examinations to rule out those with heart disease, sight problems, HIV, or other conditions deemed risky during the physically demanding program. Pregnant women are also not allowed to continue. Cases of forged academic documents or mismatched names are typically uncovered during this stage as well.