Parliament Approves Gen Kayihura’s Reappointment¨¨ 1:52pm: At Parliament, Chimp Corp Dickens Honeywell says the Appointments Committee has given a green light to Gen Kale Kayihura’s reappointment as police boss. 11:55am: Parliament’s Appointments Committee is sitting Thursday to vet Police Chief Gen Kale Kayihura. His five-year contract was this year renewed by President Museveni, who maintains the police boss is a “hardworking and loyal” officer. Kayihura, who is the first police chief in Uganda’s history to be elevated to the rank of General, was also endorsed for another term by the Police Authority – the highest decision-making organ of the institution. The IGP, who has served since November 2005, told the Police Authority in a letter that during his new term he will “acquire a critical mass of personnel and variety of equipment to build a modern and effective institution … to build modern and effective policing systems.” It is hugely suspected Kayihura will be quizzed by lawmakers on militarising the police, a public law enforcement body, and using force to crush political dissent. Opposition Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) recently appealed to Parliament to block Kayihura’s reappointment which would make him the longest serving police boss in recent times. “Kayihura is more of a military man than a professional police officer whose period of reign has been characterised by gross violations of human rights and corruption in the Force,” said the UPC spokesperson Okello Lucima at the party headquarters in Kampala recently. Lucima noted that given the different episodes that left Ugandan citizens and opposition political parties “terrorized and their rights trampled upon by the police force under Kayihura’s reign,” parliament should rise against his re-appointment. He further stated that despite Kayihura being the longest-serving police chief since President Museveni took over power in 1986, little has been done to fully investigate the increasing corruption in the country and that instead the vice continues to haunt the force. He added that it’s under Kayihura’s regime where traffic officers have turned into businessmen who openly extort money from drivers and other road users. The IGP’s current term expires on November 10. However, while speaking at a Police public lecture at Makerere University, Kayihura insisted that taking bribes by traffic officers and other police officers was illegal and unacceptable in the police force. The IGP also defended the militarization of police, saying the emergence of new threats such as terrorism, hijacks, money laundering, drug cartels and sophisticated cyber crimes cannot be dealt with ‘batons’. Kayihura said a force equipped with military tactics was the only way to combat the ever increasing but dynamic crime in the country and that those opposed to his reappointment as Inspector General of Government should reviews their opinions.
Posted on: Thu, 30 Oct 2014 15:49:27 +0000
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