IGP Kayihura and Security Minister Tumukunde Sacked

Hot on Ugandan Buzz news desk is the firing of the Generals, Kale Kayihura from being the Inspector General of Police and Henry Tumukunde from the security minister of the country.

And now, In exercise of the powers vested in the President by the Constitution, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has appointed Gen Elly Tumwine as the new security minister and Mr. Okoth Ochola as the Inspector-General of Police who will be deputised by Brig Sabiiti Muzeei.

This has been confirmed by the tweet from the President’s official twitter handle, saying how he was appointing General Elly Tumwine as Security Minister and Okoth Ochola as Inspector General of Police (IGP).

‘ In exercise of powers granted to me by the Constitution, I have appointed Gen Elly Tumwine as the Security Minister. I have also appointed Mr Okoth Ochola as the Inspector-General of Police. He will be deputised by Brig Sabiiti Muzeei
— Yoweri K Museveni (@KagutaMuseveni) March 4, 2018.’ it reads.

About the New Commanders

General Elly Tumwine

He is one of the highets ranking officers in the country. He fought with President Museveni during the Liberation struggle that brought the ruling National Resistance Movement into power and he was the commander of the National Resistance Army between 1984 and 1987.
He is also one of the representatives of the army in the national parliament.

Mr. Okoth Ochola

Martin Okoth Ochola was appointed to the position of Deputy IGP in 2011. According to close sources, Ochola has a reputation of being a disciplinarian within the police force. On the other hand, Brigadier Sabiiti Muzeei, has been serving as the commander of the military police in the country.

Reason for the Reshuffle

At the time the two were fired, they were perceived to be at loggerheads as the Internal Security Organisation investigated and arrested several senior police officers believed to be working with criminals.

Some sources claim that the reshuffles follow a spate of murders and kidnappings that have rocked the East African nation while others claim that Gen Kayihura has been sacked after allegations of his closeness to the Rwandan government and possible attempts to overthrow the Museveni government.

About Kale Kayihura

Kale kalekyezi Kayihura has served the Uganda Police Force since 2005 when he replaced General Edward Katumba Wamala as the IGP. Since then, he has so far been described by his critics as the man who made the national police force partisan, as he oversaw the chaotic 2006, 2011 and 2016 general elections.

Kayihura had withered several storms as activists called for his resignation and even prosecution for human rights abuses committed by the police force.

However, his credentials were however severely damaged in March last year, when the president publicly rebuked him and asked him to ‘clean the police force’ that Museveni said had been infiltrated by criminals following the brutal murder of Assistant IGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi.