Kayihura in trouble

Ganging up against Kayihura

Contextually, the turning point in this saga appears to have been the gruesome murder on March 17 of AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi, an astute officer whom Kayihura had meteorically promoted to the apex of the force. While Kayihura blamed his murder on other things including the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF)—a rebel group that has targeted Uganda from DR Congo since the 90s, many saw Kaweesi’s murder as an inside police job, underscoring the infighting at the centre of his force.

It was the 12th high profile murder under Kayihura’s watch but it was worse because it had claimed a central security figure and spread doubt and fear that a force that could not protect its own probably cannot protect much else.

Yet even before these fears could subside, a wave of terror spread outside greater Masaka in which gangs were raiding neighborhoods, breaking into houses, hacking people to death, leaving behind threatening leaflets and stealing property including money and cars.

Kayihura made arrests and reassured the public but a new crisis emerged. Criminals targeted women in Kampala suburbs—gruesomely murdering one by one until the total came to 23 murders all in a space of two months.

A long-running feud between Kayihura and Security Minister Henry Tumukunde has not helped matters. Suspects in police custody claimed that police agents were forcing them to implicate Tumukunde for the murder of Kaweesi.

And those under ISO custody claim they are being pressured to implicate Kayihura.

In the latest turn of events, the police officers under military detention and awaiting trial by the Court Martial claim they are being forced to implicate Kayihura.

There are many people willing to volunteer dirt against Kayihura. One of them is Special Police Constable Ali Kabanda, who was attached to the Flying Squad. In a May dossier Kabanda claims that his life was under threat because of his knowledge of the arrests and extradition of Rwandese refugees. He said that at the centre of these operations were Nixon Agasirwe, one of the seven facing trial, Baroza, who was Kayihura’s aide and Ismail Baguma, who officials at CMI are also concerned about. Baguma, a Rwandan commissioner of police, is said to be a Rwandan attache at police but authorities say he is the best example of how Rwandan intelligence has infiltrated police under Kayihura.

Indeed Kabanda claims that in one of the meetings, Baguma introduced his team disguised as special hire drivers and boda-boda riders around the country. He said that they were members of Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF), Kabanda claims.

He further narrates how they would arrest Rwandese nationals and hand them to RPF operatives at the Rwanda-Uganda boarder.

He also noted how the ISO boss, Col. Kaka Bagyenda, picked interest in him and claimed that President Museveni had directed him to protect him.

Amidst all this, Museveni was fed on report after report on Kayihura’s alleged misdeeds and the police force’s ineptness.

In fact, when in May this year, President Museveni renewed Kayihura’s contract, it raised a few brows. But it cleared Kayihura to add on his 12 years as police chief, the longest in Uganda’s history.

That is why for many, the trial of Gen. Kayihura’s men is, indeed, much about something else and less than his inability to crack down crime.

The trial follows an investigation directed by President Museveni early this month and is being seen mainly intended to wrestle power from Kayihura who has been the linchpin of Uganda’s security.

The most obvious pointer is that not only is the operation against police being driven by Kayihura’s foes, it has targeted those closest to him.

The investigations into these charges have been conducted by Col. Abel Kandiho, who was appointed early this year in a major reshuffle of the heads of security agencies.

Kandiho was appointed at the same time Col. Kaka Bagyenda was appointed to head the Internal Security Organisation (ISO). Unlike past heads of CMI and ISO, Kandiho and Kaka do not kowtow to Kayihura.

Their appointment, together with the Security Minister, Lt. Gen Henry Tumukunde, was seen as intended to re-arrange the structure of the security system, away from concentrated power in Kayihura. And they haven’t disappointed.

Tumukunde has publicly criticised Kayihura’s work methods, Kaka has been investigating police and his men almost exchanged fire with police over access to a woman; Christine Mbabazi, who is alleged to have been Kaweesi’s mistress and said information about his murder. With the latest investigation and subsequent trial, Kandiho appears to have delivered the decisive blow to Kayihura.