Why police still ask for a suspect’s tribe

What the report says

The Uganda Police Force is facing renewed scrutiny over why its statement templates still ask for a suspect’s tribe, a practice the force says has continued because the forms have not been revised since independence. According to the reporting from The Independent Uganda, the current template also records a suspect’s name, age, contacts and residence, but the tribe field has become controversial amid concerns about tribal bias and relevance to investigations.

Critics cited in the article argue that the question can reinforce ethnic divisions and may not add value to police work, especially since tribe does not appear in annual crime reports and national ID information is now available. Human rights defender Gideon Nova Kwikiriza said the practice could affect fairness if a suspect encounters an officer with strong tribal prejudices. He urged reform of what he described as outdated procedures.

Police, however, defended the field. Deputy Police Spokesperson Diana Nandawula said a suspect’s tribe can help with practical issues at court, especially where language barriers require an interpreter. She also linked the broader discussion to age, saying such details can matter in legal processing. Nandawula said the template can be changed if circumstances require it, or if concerns are formally taken up with police leadership and Parliament.

A private investigator, Fred Egesa, also told the publication that tribe should not be erased from records, though he warned against abusing ethnic identity. His comments reflected a wider debate in Uganda about the balance between administrative details, legal usefulness and the risk of discrimination.