Who is fighting Kale Kayihura and why

By John Kazooba
It’s 11 years since Gen Kale Kayihura took over from Katumba Wamala as Inspector General of police.
At the time, the police force was one in the shadow of UPDF, poorly facilitated and men in uniform demotivated.
Today, the IGP’s job is seen as lucrative and it is one eyed by many people in the top security ranks.
Katumba in his brief stint at police tried to restore the faith of the population in the police, but it was not until Kayihura arrived that the police uniform gained respect and became one of the most sought after, in the country.
President Museveni has governed this country by putting money in areas he has trusted people and police has never been better facilitated than under Gen Kale.
The workaholic Kayihura, who also has high loyalty levels has seen him go beyond his docket to doing anything that ensures Uganda is a better place. It’s for that reason Museveni has given him term after term, and making him one of the longest, if, not the longest serving IGP in Ugandan history.
Kayihura has not only policed the whole country, he is also one of the few military men who support the president’s political work. In the process, he has discovered, preempted and briefed Museveni about people in government who work against Uganda’s interests.

This has earned him many enemies, but some in the course of duties, while others who eye his position or envy his powers.

1. Henry Tumukunde

Security minister Henry Tumukunde has spent a decade out of action, and has done so much political damage on Museveni during the time. However, Museveni has got him back, first by retiring, promoting and giving him mobilization assignments during campaigns which came with a hefty facilitation.
His appointment to security minister officially announced his return and he has started to work towards returning to Museveni’s good books. Unfortunately, Tumukunde knows that with Kayihura around, he cannot warm his way back to the inner circle of the president, and therefore, our analysts says, he has to undo Kayihura’s credibility, to replace him.
Tumukunde, once Museveni’s blue eyed boy, was also Kayihura’s senior in his hay days in intelligence and wielded lots of power. Tumukunde nows sees all that power vested in Kayihura, and therefore his enthusiasm to break Kale’s back emanates from his desire to make himself Henry Tumukunde again. Tumukunde also cannot fathom he retired a lieutenant general when Kayihura is a four star general! Thus, there’s lots envy on Tumukunde’s chest.

2. Mbabazi and family

Amama Mbabazi was until recently only after Museveni in commanding power and authority in the country. But when Mbabazi nursed and started enforcing his presidential ambitions, it was Kayihura who busted the master chess player. Although Mbabazi denied the plot in the beginning, Kayihura was absolved when Amama’s loyalty was put to test and was sacked- he quit the NRM party and joined the cells he had created in the opposition to fight Museveni. That was just as Kayihura had briefed his boss that Amama had to take on Museveni either within or outside NRM.
Mbabazi and family who had warmed up for state house, are now using their allies to bring down Kayihura, forgetting, the same man who caught them while they were still in power, is now better positioned to arrest their motives.

3. Mbabazi allies
Yes, Mbabazi still has allies in and out of government. Don’t therefore dismiss Tamale Mirundi for a mad man giving Amama undue credit. Among Mbabazi allies that thirst to humiliate Mbabazi include opposition MPs who allied with Go Forward such as Medard Sseggona, Muwanga Kivumbi, Florence Namayanja, and Mpuuga Nsamba, among others.

4. Anti Muhoozi forces

It’s not news that Kayihura is close  to both Museveni and his son. There are people who believe Kayihura is in charge of the so called Muhoozi project. It’s in that light these forces fight Kayihura in a bid to get at Muhoozi. Muhoozi has however now and again distanced himself from the said project.

5. Police big heads
Police officers who thought were untouchable, have found a commander who can put his feet down. Kayihura is not only a strategist, he’s also a field commander, administrator and negotiator. He therefore knows what each of his officers should be doing. For officers who wanted to keep a small god reputation, they were mistaken. However, in a little way, feed the fire that once in a while consume the forces’s much improved image.

6. David Sejusa
Sejusa like other generals were once very powerful people. Their sins could be forgotten, either deliberately, or simply because of a short memory span for most Ugandans, but Sejusa committed atrocities especially in the north worse than any commander in UPDF. However, the same Sejusa work clandestinely to sponsor hate for Kayihura forgetting Kale is a specialist in civilian-military engagements. Police under Kayihura has closed outfits such as black mamba commanded by Sejusa that kidnapped suspects from court.

7. Coup plotting generals
Word on our desk has it that some generals wanted to overthrow their boss. Kale once again measured up. A few officers were arrested, and generals are under watch. The ring however are talking and working towards separating Museveni and Kayihura, which in their master plan is part of their success milestone.

It’s for these and other reasons that enemies of Museveni who see Kayihura as the remaining stumbling block to overthrowing the government, attack him to make the public lose confidence in the man who has ensured police is more humane, welcoming and friendly towards civilians.