Retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Asan Kasingye recently began his retirement from the force but life out of the law and order agency’s uniform seems a bit shocking.
Kasingye was left wondering if the experience he went through at Absa Bank’s Ntinda Shopping Mall Complex is representative of what many civilian Ugandans go through to access services everyday.
According to Kasingye, he had gone to see the manager at Absa Bank’s Ntinda branch located at Ntinda Shopping Mall Complex on May 10 but had to wait for a cool two hours to be allowed in the manager’s office.
A receptionist kept AIGP (Rtd) Kasingye, who was donning an Arsenal FC t-shirt, waiting and making him think that he could have been ignored because of his dress code which he says made him look like someone who engages in sports betting.
The retired police officer is now wondering how civilians survive. Ordinarily, the receptionist would have easily recognized Kasingye — and probably treated him preferentially — if he was still a serving police officer donning the force’s uniform.
“So a receptionist at Absa Bank Uganda Ntinda shopping Mall complex made me wait for two hours to see the manager yesterday? I may have appeared a ‘kapapura man’ in an Arsenal T-shirt but still I am a customer my dear,” narrated Kasingye. “You guys in civilian dress, is this what you go through on daily?”
Meanwhile, Absa Bank Uganda has since apologized to Kasingye and has started investigating the matter. “Hi AIGP (Rtd) Asan Kasingye, thank you for getting in touch and bringing this to our attention. We sincerely regret to hear about that unfortunate experience. Kindly note that we have sent you a DM to help us investigate this for further action,” the bank wrote.
In 2014, former army commander Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu (who was then a leader in the opposition Forum for Democratic Change – FDC party) warned police officers to better work for a situation that will enable them to be safe when they have retired and out of the force’s uniform.
AIGP Kasingye recently said be may bounce back from his retirement and get reappointed to Uganda Police. (Read Story Here).
