Uganda runs on over 100,000 private security guards who outnumber cops in some cities, but the industry is basically held together with duct tape and hope. Grace Matsiko from the Uganda Private Security Association told a conference at Protea hotel that most guards get maybe a few days of training before getting thrown into the field, and firearm shortages mean people protecting banks are sometimes completely unarmed. Police director Frank Mwesigwa admitted that an armed guard making poverty wages might eventually use that weapon to get paid, which sounds like a problem everyone should probably fix.
The association wants tax breaks and cheaper credit to buy surveillance tech, since most guards work brutal shifts with sketchy insurance while protecting billions in assets. Operators pointed out that they save the government massive amounts of cash by doing work that would otherwise need thousands more police officers, but appreciation from officials is basically nonexistent. Reforms got shelved because of the election cycle, and cops said they will restart training agreements after the 2026 voting wraps up.
The association wants tax breaks and cheaper credit to buy surveillance tech, since most guards work brutal shifts with sketchy insurance while protecting billions in assets. Operators pointed out that they save the government massive amounts of cash by doing work that would otherwise need thousands more police officers, but appreciation from officials is basically nonexistent. Reforms got shelved because of the election cycle, and cops said they will restart training agreements after the 2026 voting wraps up.
