Uganda Police have directed officers to arrest private security guards found moving around on foot, motorcycles or bicycles while carrying firearms, following the recovery of 23 guns stolen from private security organisations since January.
The directive is part of a renewed crackdown on the loss and misuse of firearms issued to private security organisations (PSOs), which police say can ultimately place weapons in the hands of criminal networks.
Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke issued the directive on Monday while addressing journalists at Police Headquarters in Naguru, Kampala.
Rusoke said armed guards should not be allowed to move independently while carrying firearms, particularly on motorcycles or bicycles, and instructed commanders to enforce the directive across their areas of jurisdiction.
“Those we find roaming on motorcycles and bicycles, we arrest,” Rusoke said, adding that officers on the ground had been instructed to act against guards found “loitering recklessly.”
23 firearms recovered
Rusoke said police and other security agencies have recovered 23 firearms that were supposed to be in the custody of private security organisations since the beginning of 2026.
“Security agencies, that is, police and our sister security agencies under our interagency framework, have recovered 23 firearms,” he said.
Police are concerned that stolen or poorly supervised firearms can be diverted into criminal networks and subsequently used in robberies, kidnappings and other violent offences.
Rusoke urged private security companies to improve their supervision and ensure that only trained and authorised personnel are entrusted with firearms.
Police blame poor deployment practices
According to Rusoke, armed guards should be transported securely between their deployment points and company armouries rather than being allowed to travel alone on motorcycles, bicycles or on foot while carrying guns.
He cited the recovery of a firearm stolen from a security guard in Kimombasa Cell, Bujiri, as an example of what police described as inadequate supervision.
“This was a lone deployment. The gun ended up in the hands of thieves, and before we could realise, it was the gun being used for the kidnaps you saw in Buikwe,” Rusoke said.
He said the firearm was allegedly linked to several kidnapping incidents in which suspects collected ransom payments amounting to hundreds of millions of shillings.
“The recklessness of PSOs has a very serious bearing on the security of our country,” Rusoke warned.
Guards warned against accepting food from strangers
Police also cautioned private security guards against accepting food or drinks from strangers while on duty.
The warning follows incidents in which guards were allegedly sedated before their firearms were taken.
Security companies have consequently been urged to strengthen supervision of their personnel, tighten firearm-control procedures and ensure that every weapon issued to a guard can be properly accounted for.
Police demand immediate reporting of stolen guns
Rusoke also directed guards and private security companies to report immediately whenever a firearm is stolen or a guard is attacked.
He said delays in reporting can give criminals time to move weapons away from the scene, destroy evidence or use the firearms in further offences.
“We appeal to them that in the event that a guard has been attacked, a gun has been taken, or any other form or act of offence has been committed at that scene, the reporting to police must be immediate and instant,” Rusoke said.
He added that police had encountered cases where security companies concealed incidents, despite the importance of rapid reporting.
“When you report an incident very fast, it helps in the subsequent investigations and the chances that certain key pieces of evidence would be recovered or the suspects would be arrested,” Rusoke said.
The latest directive places renewed pressure on private security organisations to strengthen the management of armed personnel and maintain strict accountability for firearms issued to their guards.
Police said the recovery of the 23 firearms highlights the need for tighter controls across the private security sector as security agencies continue efforts to trace missing weapons and prevent them from being diverted into criminal activity.
