The police headquarters have been thrown into a state of disarray and ecstasy at the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Martins Okoth Ochola moved officers holding technical positions to administrative roles in a motive sources have told this website that are yet to be known.
Uniformed officers at Naguru Police headquarters said this afternoon that the people moved to other positions have been told that they have been promoted and yet there is no rank, according to an extension and yet the same has neither been communicated to all officers or even those that have been given the promotions.
The Police Act stipulates that directors of department shall be held by officers at the rank of AIGP and deputised by their juniors at the rank of SCP and as it stands the directors are technical persons while their deputies are administrators.
Mr Fred Enanga, the police spokesperson while responding to the matter said, “These are just internal exercises which should not be in the public domain.”
Key in the reshuffles is Mr Joseph Mugisha the current director of fleet management who at the moment is waiting for his contract to be renewed by President Museveni who will be replaced by Mr James Apora as acting head of the department.
What is perplexing to the sources that asked not to be named in this story because of its sensitivity, is that Mr Apora who is Senior Commissioner of Police, according to the police law is not qualified for the position of director which is only supposed to be held by Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP).
“This can only happen according to the law and can only happen if Apora is promoted to that position of AIGP, a position that Mugisha holds at the position,” the sources said.
Section 14(1 &2) of the Police Act on procedure of promotions and appointment indicates that, ” (1) The police council shall establish the procedure and form of application to be adopted in the appointment of police officers of or below the rank of inspector of police. (2) The police authority shall establish the procedure and form of application to be adopted in the appointment of senior police officers to the force.”
The sources also indicated that the process to arrive at the position of moving the officers does not add up to the law saying that there could be a wrong motive behind the action.
Mr Enanga, ” Whoever is aggrieved should petition the appointments committee because these are internal arrangements which should be kept here. You remember I told you some time back that the minister (Internal Affairs) communicated that we should stop publishing lists of new appointments which is why we didnt publish this one.”
The other positions that were affected included: Eng Franklin Kugonza who was moved from the logistics to fleet management as to deputise Mr Apora, Mr Kimara Ameri from quarter master to acting deputy director in charge of logistics, while Masitula Tugonza will move to the quartermaster from stores.
