Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) leader Maj Gen (rtd) Gregory Mugisha Muntu has said fallen Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) Maj Gen Paul Lokech wasa good soldier whose wonderful legacy was soiled by President Yoweri Museveni’s regime.
Muntu said that the fallen general fell into the trap of the regime which used him to fight the opposition and in turn this tainted the good legacy he had worked for while in Somalia and other places of deployment.
“His performance in the army was definitely excellent in all combat operations he was involved in. However, it’s unfortunate that by the time he passed on he had been deployed in the Police Force as Deputy Inspector General of Police where his legacy was soiled. At a personal level as someone with a military background I feel pity for officers like Lokech who found himself in the Police and ended up working for the regime instead of working for their country,” said Gen Muntu on Thursday during the ANT press briefing at the party headquarters in Kampala
The former UPDF chief added that the majority of Ugandans join the Army, Police and other intelligence services to serve their country but in the situation where there is the contention of the regime that wants to survive at any cost, officers end up being partisan.
“You find fine, credible, wise and professional officers in a situation where they are partisan who are on the side of the regime and don’t mind about Ugandans. I want to inform every officer in such a situation to know that we as a country we feel for them and I hope such situations will get over one day.”
He added that most officers operating in a situation of defending the regime are suffering from an inner conviction of what they were trained to do as professionals.
Maj. Gen Lokech a battle-hardened soldier known for his offensive approach to rebellious groups in DR Congo, South Sudan, northern Uganda and Somalia, Lokech, was appointed by President Yoweri Museveni as second the commander of the Uganda Police Force in December 2020 replacing Major Gen. Stephen Muzeyi Sabiiti. An appointment he has served for 8 months.
According to Police, Gen Lokech died on Saturday of a blood clot in his lungs and left leg at his home in Buwate in Kira Municipality, Wakiso district after falling off a chair a few weeks ago. He is to be buried today Friday at his home district Pader.
Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
