IGP Ochola to retire 12 senior officers

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Inspector-General of Police Martin Ochola, will on Friday retire twelve senior police officers. The officers are at the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) and Senior Commissioner of Police-SCP.

The police officers clocked 60 years with many having their contracts not renewed by President Yoweri Museveni.

Most of the AIGPs retired in the first term of Ochola as IGP, after their applications seeking renewal of their contracts were ignored. Ochola was appointed IGP replacing Gen Edward Kale Kayihura on March 4, 2018. But several AIGPs and SCPs who were serving as directors, acting directors or deputy directors during the reign of Gen Kayihura decided to quit their offices after working for 12 to 18 months with uncertainty.

The officers who will retire include the former Traffic Director Dr Steven Kasiima, former Interpol Director Hajji Moses Balimwoyo, former Logistics and Engineering Director Godfrey Bangirana, former General Duties Director Ahmed Wafuba, former Director Forensic Services Samuel Ezati, former Welfare and Production Director Lemmy Twinomugisha and former Director Peace support operations Grace Turyagumanawe.

Others include former Operations Director Asuman Mugenyi, former Interpol Director Fred Yiga, former Director Crime Intelligence Godfrey Kyombe, former acting Director for Human Resource Development Felix Ndyomugyenyi and former Outreach Services at Interpol headquarters Elizabeth Kuteesa.

By press time, everything was set at police headquarters but it was not yet clear whether some of the directors who were forced out of office will attend the function. For instance, Godfrey Bangirana who had defied Ochola’s order to vacate office after Museveni declined to renew his contract was chased out by the High Court.

Other AIGPs, SCPs and acting directors pleaded for renewal of their contracts through the then Internal Affairs Minister Gen Jeje Odongo in vain.

Any person who reaches the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police immediately starts serving on a contractual basis often renewed after two to three years.

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