Oldest police SACCO disburses Shs 10.2bln in loans to members
KAMPALA, October 31, 2026 — The Police Savings Association Limited [PSAL], the Uganda Police Force’s oldest savings and credit cooperative organisation [SACCO], distinct from the relatively young Exodus SACCO, has disbursed Shs 10.2bln in loans to its members over the past two calendar years.
Speaking at the association’s Annual General Meeting held at Nsambya Sharing Hall on Monday, PSAL Board Chairperson SCP Christine Nanding said the association had also registered a total asset base of at least Shs 10.4bln, while members’ savings had reached Shs 21bln.
According to Nanding, PSAL’s fixed deposits had grown to at least Shs 3.8bln, while the entity’s net worth stood at Shs 21.8bln.
Nanding said the Shs 10.2bln disbursed in loans was evidence that the association was helping members access credit and improve their livelihoods.
“It has been a journey with numerous challenges, but members have stood with their SACCO. We also want to give this credit to the past leaders who always encouraged us to hang on,” she said.
“Members should be happy with what we have achieved. Many police officers work with limited resources, and having an institution where they can save and borrow money under more favourable conditions is important to their welfare,” she added.
Nanding, however, identified restrictions surrounding letters of undertaking as one of the major barriers to members accessing their savings, arguing that such requirements should apply when a member is seeking a loan and not when accessing their own money.
“We believe the letter of undertaking should suffice in cases where a member is applying for a loan. It should not become a barrier when a member wants to access their own savings because the money belongs to them, and they should have the ability to make decisions without unnecessary encumbrances,” she said.
Senior Commissioner of Police Timothy Halango, who is also the acting Director of Police Welfare, acknowledged the SACCO management’s concerns about protecting officers from excessive salary deductions but said the existing arrangements could discourage the saving culture.
“While we appreciate management’s intention to prevent situations where officers’ salaries are excessively deducted, we believe the current restrictions have hampered the saving culture. This may also undermine the broader government policy of encouraging citizens to accumulate wealth through saving and investment,” he said.
Halango urged PSAL leaders to strengthen engagement with police management, market the association more effectively and attract more members.
He said the organisation had significant potential to improve officers’ financial security but needed to reach a larger proportion of the police force.
“We need to be sharing information about PSAL’s plans, the support management can provide and the institution’s priorities. We should be asking how PSAL can help us realise those plans and how we can work together to improve the welfare of our personnel,” he said.
PSAL’s membership currently stands at about 3,000, while the police force reportedly has a total strength of about 56,500 personnel.
“Why should an association with this potential attract only about 2,900 members out of a force of 56,500? Every day, police officers are looking for money, and some are getting it from loan sharks under difficult and expensive conditions. PSAL needs to market itself and demonstrate the benefits it offers,” Halango said.
He also called on PSAL leadership to move beyond conservative investment approaches and consider commercially viable ventures that could generate income while addressing the needs of police officers.
Halango encouraged the SACCO to venture into businesses such as supplying construction materials for police housing projects, purchasing land for subdivision and resale to members, producing concrete blocks and paving materials, providing event equipment and establishing car-washing facilities.
“What if PSAL positioned itself to supply some of the building materials required for police construction projects? We are going to build on a large scale over the coming years, and that presents an opportunity worth exploring,” he said.
Halango further called for transparent leadership and urged PSAL leaders to avoid internal disputes that could undermine members’ confidence and discourage potential partners.
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