Just before last November, less than one in every 10 people on the streets of Kampala would precisely win a bet on who Maj Gen Paul Lokech was.
But within just a space of six months, the “Lion of Mogadishu” as he is famously petty named has nearly surpassed everybody’s expectations.
Maj. General Lokech was appointed Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) in December last year. He replaced Maj. General Muzeyi Sabiti who many largely believe was axed over his poor handling of the November 18/19 opposition backed riots that resulted into the death of over 54 people.
The new changes, coming a little over a month to the January 14 general elections had largely been unexpected. This had most likely been due to a popular public belief that Muzeyi had been mooted to take over from his aging boss – IGP Martin Okoth Ochola.
Lokech’s appointment seemed like a naked man thrown into the flames of fire due to the delicate political climate prevalent at the time.
The media would every the other day throw speculations about how the most violent elections awaited the country. The violent clashes between opposition supporters and security had particularly sent shock waves in the population, a fact that must have scared the new incoming Ochola’s Second in Command.
But upon assuming his new office, Lokech seemed to fit in as though he had been made for the same role at birth. Regardless of the high tensions, the battle hardened Iron Man seemed unbothered.
While addressing the Nation on the ugly life threatening demonstration shortly after Lokech’s appointment, General Yoweri Museveni had categorically vented out his disappointment in the dropped D/IGP Muzeyi. He made a warning that there would not be any patience with officers in police who exhibited incompetence for there would be many others waiting to take their positions.
The warning could partly have inspired the new D/IGP to work like his whole life depends on it.
His first task was to ensure the return of sanity and serenity on the City streets. This, he executed with utmost ease, establishing lines of defense clandestinely without causing an unnecessary storm with scaring mass military deployments.
Days to the elections, Lokech had managed to keep Kampala and the rest of the country under control without military flooding the streets as had characterized all the previous elections.
His strategy of taking over the roofs of the City’s rooftops would strategically serve to thwart the possibility of rioters using them as bases to cause havoc. It also helped to decongest Kampala of soldiers, something that could have spelt public panic.
And by the end of the day, the country had peacefully under gone an election period that has since come to be reffered to as the most peaceful election in the country’s history.
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When the President returns to address the Nation on insecurity, he will not have to talk about ” the Nakyambadde – Kiddawalime” unconvincing stories, thanks to Lokech.
The week came to a rosy climax with the news that the police had for nearly the first time in history resolved the first of many mysterious gun murders. Shocking also is the fact that this has been achieved in a period of just one month!
The intelligence breakthrough under Lokech could be a step towards resolving a string of murders in the last eight years. Since it’s been reported that some of the murder weapons recovered from the assailants are the same used in some prior crimes, there seems to be hope at last.
With Lokech in command of the force, it could indeed be the right for fallen people like AIGP Felix Kawesa, Muhammad Kiggundu, Ibrahim Abiriga, among others to get justice.
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