The Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) has warned police against letting their guard down following the decrease in crime rates projected in the 2023 annual crime report released by the Uganda Police.

This was reported during the party’s weekly press release that took place on February 28, 2024, at the party headquarters at Uganda House.

The party’s Head of Media and Communication, Faizo Muzeyi, stated that police should not jubilate over the slight decrease in registered crimes but rather beef up the security systems by investing in intelligence, community policing, and restoring public trust in credible information.

“We have to bear in mind that some of our citizens are hesitant to report cases to the police due to the poor relationship between the police and some members of the communities, yet it is those reported cases that give the basis and foundation of the UPF annual crime report,” Muzeyi said.

He also stated that a drop in domestic violence is encouraging, as reflected in the report, from 17,698 cases in 2022 to 14,681 cases in 2023, stating that UPC observes that family unity is key to the growth and development of any given society.

“Parents should be reminded of their basic responsibilities that go beyond feeding, school fees, and medical care, but rather that special love and care give a true sense of belonging, reducing the chances of family breakdown that leads to domestic violence,” he added.

On February 21, 2024, the Uganda Police Force (UPF) released the Annual Crimes Report of 2023 with 228,074 registered cases, which marked a slight decrease in reported cases of 1.5% compared to 231,653 crime cases in 2023.