In October 2020, Charles Oluka who was at the rank of Colonel was appointed as the Director General for Internal Security Organisation( ISO) , replacing Col Frank Kaka Bagyenda, who had been at the helm for more than three years.
Fast forward, on January, 29, Brig Oluka died at the age of 68 ,having served as ISO chief for four years.
By the time of Brig Oluka’s appointment in 2020, the internal spy organization’s name was so much tainted with all sorts of scandals it was involved in.
For example, ISO under Col Kaka was accused of fabricating a report in regards the assassination of AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi and so many other reports.
The spy agency also faced several accusations of, kidnap, torture and human rights violations as it effected arrests and detained suspects in several safe houses around the country.
The accusations were so grave that some of the victims, especially of torture were paraded before parliament and the media.
With all this litany of filth, Brig Oluka had a lot of food on his table to be able to turn around things at the spy agency.
This website has however learnt that having previously served as director in charge of technical operation and director security among others, Gen Oluka realised one of the biggest problems at ISO was lack of training and set out to solve it.
“Afande introduced both local and external specialized intelligence course for staff. He made sure each of the staff at one time had to go for an intelligence course,” a source privy to the matter told the Nile Post.
This was meant to deal with cases where ISO was accused of fabricating reports that on many occasions was said to have stemmed from unprofessional staff, many of whom fabricated reports for their own benefit.
This website has learnt that by 2020 when Brig Oluka assumed at ISO, intrigue was the order of the day and in order to succeed, he had to fight it.
“He slowly turned things around and within no time, he had done away with intrigue in ISO. He also helped improve staff welfare,” another source said.
“Afande ensured all District Internal Security Officers(DISOs) are given vehicles to help in transporting them and ease intelligence gathering.”
Intelligence-led operations
This website has learnt that Gen Oluka emphasized intelligence-led operations by all security agencies.
To this, ISO played a key role in providing the necessary intelligence information which enabled security agencies carry out operations.
This meant that unlike before, there was improved inter-agency cooperation and operations being carried out jointly.
Since his appointment, there has not been a case in which ISO has been cited in carrying out an operation, as was before where the spy agency effected several arrests.
Speaking about Gen Oluka, Security Minister, Gen Jim Muhwezi described him as one who proved, right from the start that he would at one time head Internal Security Organisation.