Three senior police officers have been shortlisted in the race to replace the deputy inspector general of police, Okoth Ochola, whose contract expired in December 2016.
Sources told us that the Police Council, the highest decision-making body in the Uganda Police Force, recently selected the director for human resource development and training, Andrew Felix Kaweesi (who is also police spokesman); the political commissar Fred Yiga, and the director for counter-terrorism, John Ngaruye Ndugutse, as possible successors of Ochola.
All three are at the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police. According to the Police Act, the deputy inspector general of police must be a police officer at the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police.
Sources told us that Ochola had been offered a contract extension but he turned it down. The Police Council then decided to select three names which shall be forwarded to the president who will choose one. The president’s choice will be vetted and approved by parliament’s appointments committee.
OFFICERS RESHUFFLED
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura, last week made his latest reshuffle, dropping many Regional Police Commanders (RPCs) and sending some officers to the police headquarters in Naguru for redeployment.
In the reshuffle, ACP Maxwell Ogwal has been transferred from Greater Masaka to headquarters for redeployment; ACP Wilson Kwanya has been shifted from Aswa region to headquarters for redeployment; ACP Agaptus Echotu was transferred from Rwenzori East to Kampala headquarters for redeployment, while ACP Richard Echega replaces Echotu as RPC for Rwenzori East.
Others who were affected in the reshuffle are; ACP Paul Nkole, who was transferred from Tourism Police to Kigezi region as RPC, and SP Latif Zake who has been the DPC of Kalungu but is now RPC for Greater Masaka.
In addition, SP Bosco Otim, who was DPC Ntoroko was transferred to Aswa as RPC, SP Jesper Oloka has been transferred from counter-terrorism to the witness protection unit; ASP Charles Okoto who was OC station Bundibugyo has been taken to Kisoro as DPC.
Other officers affected by the changes are ASP Gerald Atuhaire who has been transferred to Ntoroko as DPC; ASP Edgar Akankwasa from Kisoro to headquarters for redeployment, and ASP Innocent Mubangizi from Nakaseke to Kisoro as DPC.
Sources told us that most of the affected RPCs failed to control the rate of crime in their regions, which forced the IGP to recall them.
“The statistics which have so far reached the office of Inspector General of Police show that crime is up in various upcountry regions,” said our source.
The transfers take immediate effect.