NATIONAL
Ugandan President also the Commander-in-Chief, Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Tibuhaburwa has directed the Makindye based General Court Martial chairman, Brig. Gen. Freeman Robert Mugabe to discontinue all charges against former Inspector General of Police General Edward Kalekyezi Kayihura alias Gen. Kale.
Credible sources close to the president revealed that the president has also approved the retirement from the national army (UPDF) for Gen. Kayihura.
A self-confessed ruling NRM party cadre was the longest serving IGP; having been appointed in 2005. Museveni reappointed him to the position in May 2017 for at least another three years but was soon fired from this position in less than a year (March 2018).
His sacking was first peddled on the unprecedented spate of criminality in the country with murders, kidnaps, armed robberies that were then on increase in the districts of Entebbe – Wakiso, Masaka, Gulu, Mukono and endless fihts between police and Internal Security Organisation (ISO) under Lt Gen. Tumukunde, then security minister.
The February 7, 2018 kidnap of 28-year-old Susan Magara and her eventual murder 20 days in captivity also became another point to base on the sacking as the two Generals Kayihura and Tumukunde counter accused each other of failure to rescue the victim. Eventually, President Museveni sacked all of them in what he termed as removing Kawukumi (Bean Weevil) from the police.
Magara (RiP) was brutally killed by her kidnappers who cut off two of her fingers and sent to her family and a video of her torture demanding a $1 million (about Shs 3.5 billion) ransom.
Events would drastically change on June 13, 2018 (approximately three months after Kayihura’s sacking) when he was arrested and airlifted to Mbuya by a team of Updf officers led by then deputy chief of defence forces Lt Gen Wilson Mbadi.
He was arrested at his hotel in Kashagama Lyantonde district, southwest Uganda where had been staying since his hand over as IGP to his successor IGP Martins Okoth Ochola
Prior to his arrest, reports indicated that the army had sent a Updf helicopter in Lyantonde to airlift Kayihura to Mbuya army headquarters but he was not found as he had allegedly been in Mbarara. The following day, the army sent back the helicopter and the General was arrested. The army issued a statement confirming the arrest.
Kayihura was later arraigned to the General Court Martial in Makindye and was charged with several cases related to failure to protect war material by issuing arms to unauthorised persons including Boda Boda 2010 members led by Abdallah Kitatta between 2010 and 2018 which he still faced to date.
The army also accused him of aiding and abetting the kidnapping, repatriating Rwandan exiles and refugees and Ugandan citizens to Rwanda between 2012 and 2016, charges he denied.
In January 2021, he was granted bail and he is currently out of jail with no any relevant position both in the army, police or public service.
It should be recalled that while traversing for votes in 2021 general election, the NRM leaders in Kisoro district the home of Gen. Kayihura pleaded with President Museveni to pardon their son and asked for his could redeployment.
The president said he would ask on the request but it is not yet clear whether the reports of his pardon are in regards to the president’s promise to the people of Kisoro.
In April this year, the First Son Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba met with the embattled Gen. Kayihura and pledged to ask the President to pardon and “rehabilitate him”.
Gen. Kale is joined by Maj Gen Sam Wasswa Mutesasira, Maj Gen Arocha Joseph, Brig Steven Oluka, Brig Augustine Atwooki on the generals’ list as well Lt Col Juma Seiko among others to retire from the army in July.
When officially retired from the army, Gen Kale will be joining former NRA comrades, David Sejusa, and the late Elly Tumwine to have retired recently. No official communication has been released by the president, Updf and or court regarding the discontinuation of charges and retirement approval for Gen. Kayihura.
