Over the weekend, the US government with the State Secretary’s department imposed sanctions on Kale Kayihura and banned him and his family from travel to the United States for allegedly engaging in corruption and gross violation of human rights.
Kayihura in a reply later would claim that the government of the US and the police he led shared a lot in common. He claimed that he worked together with the FBI on umpteen occasions and was even awarded for fighting against terror.
“The fact is that the FBI worked closely with me and with units of police that were involved in fighting crime, including the Flying Squad. They were not scandalised by my leadership but actually gave me an award for my contribution in the fight against terror. There is no high profile case in which our units did not liaise with the FBI. They participated in, for example, the investigations into the assassinations of the late Joan Kagezi and the late Andrew Felix Kaweesi, as well as the 2010 terror case. The Treasury would thus do well to sanction those officers also.”
Before Kayihura’s exit from the IGP office, he had indeed enjoyed US support and he reportedly got a number of awards to show for it.
In October 2014, the US through heir Air Force department nominated then Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura, for an international honour for his distinguished service.
Kayihura’s nomination was carried in a letter from Lt Gen David S Fadok, who is at the level of a commander in the department.
“In recognition of your achievements as the Uganda Inspector General of Police, I am honoured to notify you of your induction into the Air University International Honour Roll,” the letter to Kayihura read.
“If your schedule permits, we would be honoured to have you attend…a plague engraved with your name and position will be permanently displayed at Air University’s International Officer School for future students and visitors to see,” the letter continued.
Now rejected
In a recent statement by the secretary of State Michael Pompeo, Section 7031(c) provides that, in cases where the Secretary of State has credible information that foreign officials have been involved in significant corruption or a gross violation of human rights, those individuals and their immediate family members are ineligible for entry into the United States.
Pompeo argues that his Department has credible information that Kayihura was involved in torture and/or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, through command responsibility of the Flying Squad, a specialized unit of the Uganda Police Force that reported directly to Kayihura.
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