Museveni reappoints Gen Kayihura as police chief

President Museveni has reappointed Gen Kale Kayihura as Inspector General of Police (IGP) for another three-year term, placing him at the helm of the country’s law and order agency until 2020. 
Gen Kayihura’s good fortune also applies to his deputy Okoth Ochola, Commissioner General of Prisons Dr Johnson Byabashaija, and his deputy Mr James Mwanje whose contracts were expiring this month. They have been reappointed for three more years.
In a March 14 letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Ms Rebecca Kadaga which Daily Monitor has seen, Mr Museveni wrote: “The Police Authority and Prison Authority have recommended the following officers for renewal of contract,” before listing names of the quartet that now await approval by the Parliament’s Appointments Committee.
“In line with Article 213 of the Constitution, I hereby nominate the officers for renewal of contract for three years,” the letter states. 
Article 213 of the 1995 Constitution provides that the Inspector General of Police GP and his deputy shall be appointed by the President with the approval of Parliament. 
In the letter copied to Internal Affairs minister Gen Jeje Odongo, the President also indicated he was attaching the officers’ curriculum vitae for the requisite parliamentary approval. 
However, highly placed sources in the Speaker’s office intimated to Daily Monitor that Gen Kayihura, who has been on the receiving end of a barrage of criticisms over the country’s fluid security situation following widespread cases of violence, house break-ins, and robberies, was “buying more time before appearing for approval given the hostile disposition from MPs and the public.” 
Only last Thursday Gen Kayihura appeared before Parliament’s Budget Committee where MPs grilled him over the spate of killings in the country and police’s handling of the operations, days after a suspect paraded by the IGP told journalists that criminal gangs were working in connivance with some police officers.