By Watchdog reporter
The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Gen. Kale Kayihura has on Tuesday appeared before the Land Commission headed by Justice Catherine Bamugemereire.
The police boss was summoned by Bamugemereire to testify in regard to a piece of property on Alidina Visram Road in Jinja town which belonged to government until 2014 when it was placed under privatization.
It is alleged that senior Police officers right from the regional police commander, the district police commanders, as well as political leaders including the Resident District Commissioner and District Internal Security Officer, offered protection to Movit Proprietor Simpson Birungi as he evicted and demolished properties belonging to poor tenants.
The property had Ugandan occupants with shops who were forcefully evicted and it is alleged that police was part of the team which evicted occupants and demolished the property.
Kayihura has admitted that police was part of the team in question but said he didn’t investigate on the matter because the country was going into an election which wasn’t easy.
He however, condemned the police officers who were involved the operation, saying they should pay for their personal misdeeds.
“I condemn the police officers who were involved. In any case, it’s not the business of the police to serve any party,” said Kayihura.
“As an institution, we acknowledge our weaknesses & I think acknowledging weaknesses is part of problem solving,” he added.
He further assured the commission that that the police force is transforming citing that the way it has been engaging with people is better than it used to be back in 2006.
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