In a stunning twist that has shaken Uganda’s administrative corridors, the government has rolled out a bold directive: Uganda officers salary at senior levels is now harmonized to Shs12.75 million per month. This announcement marks a dramatic shift from a history riddled with unequal pay across the security establishment.
Effective in the 2025/26 financial year, this sweeping reform affects all officers holding the ranks of Commissioner, Senior Commissioner, and Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP). The Ministry of Public Service, through a formal circular signed by Catherine Birakwate, laid the groundwork for this unprecedented change.
Pay Gaps Flattened, Frustration Quelled
Previously, officers in the same ranks received wildly varying salaries. For instance, a Commissioner of Police earned Shs7.8 million, while a Senior Commissioner took home Shs10.6 million. Even more confusing, an AIGP in the legal directorate earned Shs8.7 million, while science-classified AIGPs were already receiving Shs12.75 million.
This chaotic structure bred resentment. Frustration simmered across departments as rank no longer guaranteed equal reward. Finally, this reform ends that inequality. Today, whether you’re a director or a scientist, if you hold the rank—you earn the same.
The reform also applies to the Uganda Prisons Service, further widening the impact of this major correction. Both institutions now stand on equal footing regarding compensation.
Museveni’s Vision Comes Into Focus
These pay adjustments aren’t isolated. Last year, the government doubled the pay for Uganda’s highest security positions. The Inspector General of Police and Commissioner General of Prisons, along with their deputies, saw their salaries jump from Shs6.8 million to Shs15.4 million.
While senior officers have clearly gained the most, the lower ranks haven’t been ignored. Special Police Constables, once earning Shs375,200, now take home Shs440,000. Other junior ranks received increases between Shs64,000 and Shs79,000. Gradually, every layer of the force is seeing movement.
Back in 2019, President Yoweri Museveni made his priorities clear. Infrastructure. Energy. Health. Innovation. These sectors would receive attention before sweeping pay rises. Still, he promised that increases would arrive—in phases.
“Government must first address the most critical sectors before we can talk about pay rises,” he emphasized. “But the increases will come in phases.”
That promise is now being realized. The latest Uganda officers salary reform sends a clear message. The time has come to honor those who protect, enforce, and defend. It’s not just about money—it’s about morale, motivation, and justice.
Today, a Commissioner in prisons earns the same as a Commissioner in police. That parity restores dignity. It also reinforces trust in a system long overdue for transparency and fairness.
For further updates on Uganda’s security landscape, explore the UPDF Lwemiyaga shooting here, the troubling ASTU livestock theft case here, the rise in unresolved killings across Uganda here, and the shocking details about the Kalerwe suicide bomber here.
