Ochola reverses Kayihura reshuffles

The Inspector General of Police, Martin Okoth Ochola has made yet another major reshuffle in the force, a few days after assuming office.

According to a message to all police units and copied to the Deputy IGP Brig.Muzeeyi Sabiiti and all police directors dated March 19, Assistant Inspector General of Police Abbas Byakagaba has been appointed the new police director in charge of Counter Terrorism.

Byakabaga has been the Director in charge of Oil and Gas, a position he was appointed to, a few months ago.

He replaces AIGP John Ndugutse who has been also serving as the police attache in Kenya a position he retains.

The new changes by Ochola have also seen Senior Superintendent of Police Ezekiel Emitu dropped as deputy Kampala Metropolitan commander to be appointed as Regional Police Commander for Aswa region.

Reverses Kayihura’s reshuffle

In the new transfers, the new police boss has reversed the recent reshuffles made by his predecessor Gen.Kale Kayihura among the top police commanders.

On March 3 , Kayihura made what would be his last changes in the police commanders which saw him transfer 53 senior police officers from various positions.

However, in the latest transfer by the new police boss, a number of the recent changes by Kayihura have been reversed and the senior police officers redeployed to their former positions.

SCP Stephen Tanui who had been deployed as the operation officer in Reserve Task Force has been redeployed as deputy commandant of the Field Force Unit (FFU) whereas SCP Ali Fadhir Kaali who had been sent to the Directorate of Oil and Gas as the deputy director has reassumed his position as FFU commander.

Senior Commissioner of Police Henry Tukahirwa who had been deployed as head of the Police Reserve Task Force, a new unit for reserve police officers by Kayihura has now been deployed as deputy director in charge of welfare in the directorate of welfare and production.

In his last changes, Kayihura had removed SCP Richard Edyegu and SCP Anne Tusiime, both deputy directors in the directorate of Logistics and Engineering and transferred them to his office for “special assignments” but these too have been reverted to their former positions.

Denni Namuwoza, who had recently been appointed Kampala South Commander has now been appointed the Deputy Kampala Metropolitan Area Commander.

Sarah Kibwika, who recently completed a refresher course has been appointed the acting commander traffic police operations.

These are the latest major changes in the police force by the new Inspector General of Police, Okoth Ochola since he took over office a few weeks ago replacing Kayihura.

Speaking to members of the Parliamentary Appointments Committee, Ochola said the police force died the day Gen.Edward Katumba Wamala left the force as IGP in 2005.

The new changes are seen as part of the new leadership to streamline the police force that president Museveni recently said was infiltrated by criminals