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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Last week, the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Maj Gen Paul Lokech, appointed more than 30 new Kampala Metropolitan Police commanders.
The new commanders include eight key division police commanders, 10 are Officers in Charge of police divisions and stations. The rest are commanders of Criminal Investigations Departments as well as superintendents of traffic police personnel attached divisions and stations.
Deo Obura is the most senior out of the 32 police commanders brought in Kampala. Obura has been appointed Regional Police Commander –RPC for KMP East which consists of Jinja Road division, Kira division, Kira Road division, Mukono division and Naggalama division.
Gertrude Temaya has been appointed Wakiso Division Police Commander –DPC, Denis Ocamu has been appointed Jinja Road DPC, Medard Asiimwe is appointed Nsangi DPC and Alice Kuku has been appointed DPC Kawempe.
Vincent Irama is the new Entebbe DPC, Assistant Superintendent of Police Sulat Kitaka is the new DPC Kajjansi and ASP Tyson Rutambika is the new DPC for Old Kampala policing division.
The new police commanders have been reporting to KMP overall police commander, Commissioner of Police Moses Kafeero. In one of the meeting, according to police sources at KMP headquarters, commanders have been tasked to immediately study their jurisdictions and draft an appropriate deployment plan ahead of next Wednesday’s swearing of President Yoweri Museveni.
Sources added that there is a planned general meeting for all Regional, Divisional and Station commanders this weekend and key on the agenda is how they are going to secure major roads that will be used by dignitaries going to attend the swearing-in ceremony at Kololo Airstrip.
“Some of these commanders are not used to Kampala and their first task is to understand their areas of command that include major roads, businesses and chaotic places. Each commander has been tasked to draft a plan which is discussed in a meeting about the coming swearing-in,” the source said.
Police Spokesperson, Fred Enanga, says as security they anticipate disruptive activities before, during and after the swearing-in. Enanga says the disruptions they anticipate include the use of petrol bombs, acts of sabotage, blocking roads, burning tyres and other disruptive activities.
The new commanders, according to sources, have been urged to work with Joint Intelligence Components to ensure Kampala is safe during swearing-in and even other days. Enanga says they have already picked a piece of information about planned disruptions.
“Our Joint Operation Command Centres across the country, are fully alert, with the relevant Intelligence, operation and investigative components; operating 24/7. They are closely monitoring a wide range of potential threats especially acts of domestic extremism, external influence, radical behaviour and closely monitoring all our border areas and crossing points, especially in the West Nile region,” Enanga says.
Away from the swearing, some divisions in Kampala particularly Old Kampala and Kawempe registered high crime rates in 2020. Tyson Rutambika,who was the commander of dreaded Nalufenya during the reigns of IGP Gen Edward Kale Kayihura, has been given the responsibility of shocking crime statistics in Old Kampala so that residents can feel a sense of security again.
Old Kampala has been in the news recently because of repeated women killings particularly in areas of Nankulabye and Kasubi. Mclean Ahereza, Doreen Nabirye, Elizabeth Mutesi and Kansiime are some of the women killed in Old Kampala a few weeks ago.
Other commanders deployed in Kampala include Andrew Kule who is the new OC Kisenyi police stations, Derrick Baguma is OC Namungoona, Gilbert Ochakacon is OC Kiganda, Paul Oboth is OC Kasangati, Marion Abbo is OC Lubigi, Bruce Oinebye is OC traffic Kasanga and Abedi Kalenzi is OC Wandegeya.
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