Gen Kayihura: what I am going to do in my new term as IGP

By Bruno Kiyimba

Uganda’s police chief has read a riot act for his commanders, vowing to professionalise the police force as he embarks on his new term which started a couple of days ago.

In a memo this website has seen sent to all units, Gen Kayihura directs commanders what he intends to achieve in the next three years, without excuses as he moved to silence his critics.

Gen Kayihura whose police force has in the past suffered a negative image due to the conduct of some police has began his new term with an instructional memo to his commanders across the country saying he wants to see the force’s critics “disapproved”.

Gen Kayihura who was first appointed IGP in November 2005 started his new term on November 10, 2017, making him the longest serving IGP in Uganda’s modern history.

On top of Kayihura’s agenda is a political education college which will train police officers to mature in what he calls their “ideological orientation”. The IGP tasked experienced police officer Assan Kasingye to build this college as soon as possible, in his office as chief political commissar. Gen Kayihura reassigned the work of spokesman to Emirian Kayima as he wants Kasingye to focus on the political education role in the force.

Below are the things, this website has established, Gen Kayihura want this commanders and officers to do in the coming three years.

1. Human resource development; building professionalism through intense ideological (political education) and technical training.
2. Building crime investigation capacity (training and equipping investigators, crime intelligence officers, forensic officers, K9 capability, counter terrorism and community liaison officers)
3. Equipment (vehicle and machinery), maintenance capability
4. Welfare: accommodation, healthcare, education for the children, building family income through income generating projects
5. Building internal economy (production and construction capacity)

Gen Kayihura called upon his commanders and officers to pull up their socks as they work towards ending what he calls “a negative smear campaign” against the police force.

“I call upon all of you to redouble your efforts in your respective areas of deployment. The current negative smear campaign should not demolarise you or distract you from your work because that is precisely those behind it want.”

“Instead,” Kayihura said, “It should be a mirror for you to look at yourself and improve yourself. Disapprove them.”