Tensions in the police as the ‘mafia’ pushes for lucrative sniffer dog contracts

Police dogs during the faint

Tensions are rising within the Ugandan police force as influential and powerful individuals in the government lobby for a return to using private companies to supply sniffer dogs.

The push comes despite a 2010 administrative decision to establish the Naggalama breeding center in Mukono district, which will allow the police to breed and train its own sniffer dogs, reducing the exorbitant costs previously incurred through private suppliers.

The Naggalama center has proven to be very cost-effective, with the police spending just Shs7 million on breeding and caring for each dog, representing a cost saving of almost 80 percent. In comparison, before the establishment of the centre, the force spent over US$10,000 (about Shs37 million) per dog, importing them from countries such as the US, Britain, Germany and South Africa. Many of these imported dogs failed to adapt to the Ugandan climate, resulting in premature deaths and financial losses.

For example, M/S Plow (U) Limited proposed to supply two anti-narcotic sniffer dogs for $43,470 (about Shs159.9 million), with an additional fee for handler training. Police officials have consistently rejected such offers, claiming that their internal breeding program is much more sustainable.

“We chose to breed our own dogs to reduce the exorbitant costs associated with purchasing them abroad. Now some individuals are pushing to return to the costly system we have managed to maintain for almost a decade minimize,” said a senior police officer. anonymity, revealed.

Some private companies seeking to supply sniffer dogs reportedly have ties to influential government and business figures. At Entebbe International Airport, for example, police dog units have saved the government more than Shs600 million annually by replacing private dog contracts.

Previously, a private company supplied sniffer dogs to the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) at Shs58 million per month, which amounts to Shs696 million per year. Since the police took over and deployed 30 free sniffer dogs, the government has saved more than 2 billion shin in the past three years.

The decision to breed sniffer dogs locally was also influenced by failures in private dog services. A private company providing airport explosive detection dogs failed a joint test by police, special forces and counter-terrorism units, leading to the termination of the contract.

“I would like to emphasize that the police are struggling with insufficient funding. In the last quarter of the previous financial year, some directorates received only Shs10 million or less to run their activities. Where would we get the money to pay for? expensive private dog services?” explained a senior police officer.

President Museveni has publicly praised the police canine unit for saving over Shs600 million a year by eliminating the need for private services. Several companies, including NMF Kennels, have had their proposals rejected, with police insisting their breeding center in Naggalama can meet all their dog needs at a fraction of the cost.