IGP Ochola makes more changes, Frank Mwesigwa dropped as KMP Commander

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Okoth Ochola has dropped Commissioner of Police (CP) Frank Mwesigwa as Commander Kampala Metropolitan Police and appointed him to head Tourism Police.

Mwesigwa, who was an acting Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) as the KMP commandant, is replaced by Moses Kafeero who has been the head of the Police Senior Command Staff College, Bwebajja.

Mwesigwa, one of the best trained Counter Terrorism officers in country, took over as Kampala commandant in July 2016 and has been at the centre of managing demonstrations in the city.

He joined the force in 2007 and was deployed in the Counter Terrorism department where he worked for more than seven years until he was appointed KMP Commander.

Kafeero is now replaced by Lawrence Niwabiine, who is most remembered for his role as the KMP traffic Commander before he was sidelined by the former Inspector General of Police Kale Kayihura in 2016 under unclear circumstances.

At the time Niwabiine was dropped, former prime minister Amama Mbabazi was contesting for the presidency in the against President Yoweri Museveni. Niwabiine is married in the Mbabazi family something that many thought at the time could have influenced Kayihura’s decision.

The police spokesperson Emilian Kayima has confirmed the transfers saying the appointments are normal.

“The language of dropping is not appropriate. CP Mwesigwa has been assigned new roles. He will now head the Tourism police, a key police department and is replaced by CP Moses Kafeero Kabugo,” Kayima said.

The transfer comes at a time Mwesigwa is implicated in alleged irregularities in the policing of demonstrations during the constitution amendment debate last year.