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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT & URN | The former Director of counter-terrorism police AIGP Abas Byakagaba is the new Inspector General of Uganda Police.
President Yoweri Museveni has today appointed AIGP (Rtd) Byakagaba to take over from Martin Ochola who retired earlier this year. Byakagaba will be deputised by AIGP Ochaya, who is in charge of Research and Planning directorate.
The appointments continues the return of the force leadership firmly into the hands of professional policemen.
Byakagaba has been serving as Director Counter-Terrorism Police which is one of the elite unit of the Uganda Police Force (UPF) responsible for dealing with terrorism, protecting Very Important Persons (VIPs) and some of key government installations.
Museveni reportedly tried to convince Ochola to remain serving as IGP but the lawyer-turned-policeman declined. In fact, Ochola put it in writing through the Minister of Internal Affairs, Gen Kahinda Otafiire, that he was no longer interested in serving as IGP.
Ever since Ochola retired, UPF has been under the leadership of his deputy Maj Gen Geoffrey Katsigazi Tumusiime who some had started speculating that was going to be confirmed in the position of IGP.
However, Byakagaba’s name alongside that of AIGP Francis Xavier Rwego kept coming up in police and other security circles as the next top chiefs of the police force. Byakagaba previously served as commander of Kampala Metropolitan which covers Kampala City, Wakiso, Mukono and some parts of Mpigi District.
Byakagaba’s (jointly appointed) deputy James Ochaya is currently serving as director research since taking over from retired AIGP Edward Ochom in 2021. AIGP Ochaya was promoted to his current rank in 2022 and if this is confirmed, it will be the first time UPF is being headed by all career police officers in the last 20 years.
From 2001 to 2018, the IGP was a military General starting with Gen Edward Katumba Wamala who served up to 2005 and was replaced by Gen Edward Kale Kayihura who was dropped on March 4, 2018 after being at the helm of police for more than 12 years.
When Ochola was appointed to replace his former boss Gen Kayihura, Museveni gave him Maj Gen Sabiiti Stephen Muzeeyi to serve as his deputy. Sabiiti was later transferred back to UPDF and he was replaced with Maj Gen Paul Lokech who unfortunately died after serving in police force for only eight months.
Lokech’s death still saw Museveni again appointing another soldier, Maj Gen Katsigazi as deputy to Ochola. Thus, many current police commanders who are mostly of intakes 2001 onwards have never seen the police force being fully in the hands of career police officers.
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