By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
President Museveni has been asked to appoint someone of no military background as the Inspector General of Police (IGP) inorder to avoid militarisation of the force.
This call comes after the former IGP J. M Okoth Ochola bowed out of office following the expiration of his six year tenure on March 4.
Addressing journalists at City House Kampala on Tuesday, the Democratic Party (DP) acting spokesperson also president of UYD, Ismail Kiirya warned against militarizing the institution of police which he says tarnishes its reputation.
“We want to urge the president of the Republic of Uganda look through the original police officers to be promoted as our next IGP. Let’s not militarize the police because it loses it’s meaning, we have seen some IGPs from Military who have introduced things which tarnish the image of the police Force,” said Kiirya.
For almost 17 years before the appointment of Ochola, the position of IGP was in the hands of individuals coming from a military background. They are Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, appointed in April 2001. Katumba was replaced in November 2005 by Gen. Edward Kale Kayihura who who served for three consecutive terms.
According to Kiirya, the former IGP Ochola served Uganda’s with utmost respect because he did not have a military background. He appealed to the president to consider promoting and appointing someone from UPF as IGP to replace Ochola.
“We want to thank the out going IGP Afande Martin Okot Ochola for serving us Ugandans within the code of conduct of Uganda police. He has had tried to keep the Uganda police cardinal role in keeping law and order and had also restored the respect of Police,” Kiirya commended.
He added that during Ochola tenure, there were fewer cases of gross violation of human rights such as human torture, arbitrary arrests, detentions and that he had taken affirmative action against undisciplined police officers. Kiirya urged Maj. Gen. Katsigazi who is now the acting IGP and other police officers to emulate the legacy which Ochola left behind.
Relatedly, the UYD President tasked police to regulate the use of guns in the country stating that criminals are taking advantage of armed security personnel who clad in casual wears to commit crimes.
This follows a recent gun attack in which assailants clad in casual wears shot and killed Buganda clan head, Lwomwa Daniel Bbosa of Ndiga clan in Lungujja, a week ago. DP says it’s becoming difficult for citizens to identify and recognize security officers and criminals.
We want to urge government to limit their officers holding guns in public. We are failing to differentiate between the assailants and the officers […] We have witnessed this in many occasions where police officers move in public without uniforms,”DP urged.
