IGP Ochola redeploys CID bosses

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Okoth Ochola, has reshuffled over 170 senior officers, including detectives at the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID). Without divulging names, a top Police officer, who spoke to Ugandanz.com on condition of anonymity, yesterday said the reshuffle did not spare Ochola’s deputies.

Police has 21 Assistant IGPs that head separate directorates, whose contracts were renewed last week. The reshuffle, which also moved custodians at the public relations office, comes hardly a week after a meeting with President Yoweri Museveni and the Police top brass at State House on January 7. In the transfer, Ochola appointed 20 and redeployed 150 police officers to separate offices that include CID, forensic services, public relations and Parliament.

The operations directorate spokesperson, Samson Lubega, told Ugandanz.com that a total of 142 officers, including commissioners of Police, had been moved in the Saturday reshuffle by Ochola. However, Lubega declined to comment on the reshuffle of AIGPs. In a separate telephone interview, Emilian Kayima, the outgoing Police publicist, said Ochola had appointed Senior Commissioner of Police Samuel Ezati as deputy director CID in charge of handwriting and documents analysis.

Ezati, formerly acting director forensics services, was replaced by Superintendent of Police Andrew Mubiru and will be deputized by Sylvia Chelangat. In the appointments, Ochola elevated Godwin Tumugumye to the post of commandant of the Flying Squad Unit, previous headed by Peter Kakonge, who moves to the CID department of general crimes, headed by Francis Olugu.

Until yesterday, Tumugumye was the Kampala South (Makindye division) regional criminal investigations boss. Commissioner of Police Fred Enanga was appointed Police spokesperson, while Polly Namaye becomes his the deputy.

“I have been appointed as acting commissioner information and publication at the directorate of Chief Political Commissar,” Kayima said.

Enanga, formerly commissioner r in charge of administration at CID, was replaced by Venus Tumuhimbise Baguma. The new Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson is Patrick Onyango deputised by Luke Owoyesigyire, who has been acting in the position for 10 months.

Senior Superintendent of Police Apollo Kateba, who has been on suspension for the past two years in relation to alleged evictions in Jinja district, where he served as a regional commander, has been appointed acting commissioner private security and fi rearms. Kateba replaced Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilary Kulayige, who was appointed staff officer at the directorate of Chief Political Commissar.

Paul Kato Tumuhimbise, formerly attached to the Parliament’s public accounts committee, was transferred to CID headquarters to head the local government fraud department. The Bushenyi Region CID chief, Henry Mugumya, was appointed acting commissioner of Police media crimes.

Other officers moved include Martin Abiru from United Nations task force to commander barracks and special duties, while Julius Twinomujuni was moved back to CID. Twinomujuni, previously headed CID’s Land Police Protection Unit (LPPU). At the recent passing out of senior police officers at the Senior Command and Staff College, state minister for internal affairs Obiga Kania said,

“Training should be the future cardinal for deploying police officers.”

The training focuses on command, leadership, supervisory and operational skills at the college, with trainers from the UPDF, Makerere University and the United Nations University for Peace. The training is aimed at revamping Police’s image under the ‘rectification campaign.’ A recent report by Professional Standards Unit (PSU) faulted officers for neglecting intelligence reports and cowardice leading to increased crime in some areas/districts. Last year, Police started screening cops operating upcountry to weed out the elderly, sick, ‘non-performers’ and those overdue for transfer.