For several years, inadequate lighting has been a major challenge at the Police National Training School Kabalye in Masindi district, affecting evening sessions at the Uganda Police Force’s largest training facility.
With thousands of recruits on this expansive campus, the limited visibility after dark has constrained learning schedules and posed a security risk.
This challenge is now being addressed, following the installation of solar-powered lighting units donated by Stanbic Bank Uganda, in a move aimed at improving conditions for both trainees and staff at the facility.
The solar lighting system, comprising more than 30 units worth shs 100m, is expected to significantly enhance visibility, enabling safer movement, training, and effective supervision during night operations.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Stanbic Bank’s Chief Executive Mumba Kenneth Kalifungwa said the intervention was informed by the desire to support critical national institutions with sustainable and practical solutions.
“This initiative reflects our continued commitment to supporting key national institutions that underpin Uganda’s stability and economic growth. Reliable lighting is essential to ensuring a safe and conducive training environment, particularly for a facility of this scale.”
The initiative comes as Stanbic Bank is celebrating 35 years of supporting Uganda’s economic growth and complementing the government’s development goals. This is anchored in the bank’s Positive Impact Agenda, focusing on five strategic pillars: financial inclusion, job creation, infrastructure development, climate resilience, and corporate philanthropy.
“Our operations are aligned to our purpose, ‘Uganda is our home, we drive her growth’. In continuing to live up to this ambitious promise, we have earmarked funds, up to a tune of shs 1 trillion, to harness social economic transformation, especially among women, youth and farmers,” Kalifungwa said.
Mumba Kalifungwa plants a tree at Kabalye Police Training School in Masindi during the handover ceremony
John Kamya, the senior commissioner of police, who represented the Inspector General of Police, Abas Byakagaba, welcomed the development. He said that improved lighting would directly impact training outcomes and security.
“This support will significantly improve the welfare and training environment of our officers, while strengthening security within the school, especially during night hours. Collaborations of this nature are critical in our efforts to build a more professional and responsive police force,” Kamya said.
The project also contributes to a broader plan by the police to expand solar lighting infrastructure across the training school, with a target of installing more than 200 units.
