| dc.description.abstract | Uganda is one of the countries in Africa which have embraced the privatisation of security.
Whereas the private security industry has penetrated most sectors of Uganda’s economy,
there seems to be little understanding of the role and the dynamics of this industry.
Therefore the main objective of this study was to investigate and assess the role PSCs play in
Uganda and generate such data that would contribute towards a better understanding and
management of these companies. The study covered the period between the years 2000 and
2007 and was carried out in Kampala district.
For data collection, both qualitative and quantitative methods were used. Questionnaires and
interview guide with open and close ended questions were administered to a sample of 49
purposively selected respondents. Data collected was analysed in accordance with the themes
related to the research objectives and questions. The data was member checked and peer
reviewed for validity.
The following were the key findings of the study:
1. The main reason behind the increased demand and number of private security
companies in Uganda is the failure by the police to satisfy all the demands for security
from the public.
2. The size and extent of the operations of private security companies vary according to
the financial muscle of the proprietors while their role is largely influenced by the
quality of the employees, the terms and conditions of service and command and
control. The structures of these companies are also dualistic in nature.
3. Although private security companies have the potential to improve human security,
support the investment climate, create jobs, and boost the national revenue base, they
can also pose severe risks to the development process of a country.
4. Despite the risks, clients tend to trust private security companies because they are
flexible and have resources to mind their security needs compared to the Uganda
police which lacks the resources and operates very bureaucratically.
These findings suggest that there is need to ensure that private security companies deliver
their services in a professional and accountable manner. The responsibility to enforce this lies
largely with the government. Therefore this research recommended that the government
should review the present policy whose inherent weaknesses have made it difficult to enforce
and put in place a stronger regulatory legal framework spelling out the required standards,
how to adhere to such standards and the resultant sanctions in order to ensure professionalism
within these companies. | en_US |
