INADEQUATE LOGISTICS HAMPER POLICE FIGHT AGAINST GBV IN ARUA

Arua district leaders with stake holders in a group photo after an engagement on GBV.

By Godwin Abedican

Arua

Logistical challenges faced by the police in Arua district has been identified as one of the major factors affecting the fight against Gender based violence in the district.
 
According to the district stakeholders many times the police has ended up seeking for support from the public and where it can’t be afforded the cases reported have remained unattended to by the police including failure to execute arrests.
 
Hon. Candini Luiji, the Secretary Human Capital Development Community-Based Services and mind set change Arua says, has overtime affected the works of the police and initiatives towards fighting the rampant cases of GBV in the district.
 
“The practice is always that they say, give for us fuel we go and arrest suspects. The logistical challenges with Uganda police to trace cases is also there. In Arua district, there is only one police pickup vehicle and probably only 4 motorcycle according to the number of Sub-counties. And with this the provision of fuel is very meager to the police. So how can they work to ensure GBV cases are responded to”, he asked.

Hon. Candini Luiji the Sec. Human capital development community-based
services and mind set change Arua.

According to Moses Oringi, the programs manager West Nile civil Society Network (WECISNET), the challenges that come with the police failure to respond timely to Gender based Violence cases makes it hard for the civil society organizations to appropriately position themselves sin the fight against GBV.
 
“There are issues around corruption as a challenge. And this poses a very big challenge to us the partners because you cannot easily maneuver in a corruption-stricken environment. You find there is an issue that has happened, the police are asking for transport and the transport is not small money, it can be from fifty thousand to sometimes even over one hundred thousand. How does a victim afford this? So, indirectly the victims say the police should stay with their services. That alone poses a great challenge to the partners in terms of how do we move forwards because you find things not connecting due to corruption,” he noted with concern.
 
However, AIP Driciru Christine, the OC Child and Family Protection Unit at the regional police headquarters West Nile admitted these challenges and said, some of these happen because the police want to help situations amidst limited support.
 
“I will say yes, it is there. Police officers ask for transport money yet the police is supposed to provide transport. For arresting perpetuators. For sure, police has challenges of logistics. Police lacks transport which is true, everybody can bear witness to that. When a police officer is stuck and the community needs police help, definitely the police will come to the community and to seek for help to aid the picking up of perpetuators. Those are the things people have categorized to be as corruption. That one is happening, yes,” She confirmed.
 
Arua district will climax the commemoration of the 16 days of activism against Gender based violence on Monday 9^th December 2024 at Vurra Sub-County under the theme “To end violence against women and girls in the content if climate change”
 
 
 

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