{UAH} Opposition piles pressure on Kayihura

Opposition piles pressure on Kayihura

News

TUESDAY, 15 APRIL 2014 22:16

WRITTEN BY SULAIMAN KAKAIRE

7 COMMENTS

Hot seat: IGP Kale Kayihura

Senior opposition politicians today demanded a parliamentary investigation of Inspector General of Police Kale Kayihura, over alleged involvement in the politics of the ruling National Resistance Movement.

At a joint press briefing in Kampala, political party leaders and MPs said the matter should be handled by a non-partisan select committee of Parliament.

They based their demand on leaked spy recordings that appear to show the police chief thickly involved in a simmering power struggle between President Museveni and NRM Secretary General Amama Mbabazi.

They demanded Kayihura's immediate suspension on grounds that he has abused his office for the benefit of entrenching the NRM in power.

"The leaked recordings confirm Gen Kayihura's role as Museveni/NRM political hatchet man. It is clear that Gen Kayihura is, first and foremost, a partisan cadre, eager to execute covert political projects at the behest of Mr Museveni and his wing of the NRM," said Olara Otunnu, the UPC party leader, reading from a joint press release issued by the opposition.

The media have been awash with reports of leaked recordings showing how Kayihura met with Alex Kasirivu, an NRM youth mobiliser. Kayihura is heard encouraging Kasirivu to spy on Amama Mbabazi over the latter's alleged presidential bid, reportedly championed by his wife Jacqueline.

In one of the recordings, Kayihura is heard assuring Kasirivu that once he switches sides, he will give him all the protection he needs. The opposition statement said the recordings showed what was not expected of Kayihura as IGP: "These activities have completely subverted the authentic role of the IGP, as a non-partisan custodian of public law and order in the country."

FDC President Mugisha Muntu said unless Kayihura refuted his voice in the leaked recordings, it "undermines the standard of professionalism, more so for the IGP."

Col Dr Kizza Besigye, the former FDC president, said the recordings confirmed his earlier assertion about the merging of the ruling party and the state.

"I think you recognise that central to our campaign is the fact that all state institutions have been fused with NRM… And this is one of the indicators," he said.

Whereas the outcome of the proposed select committee will subsequently be decided by Parliament, of which the NRM enjoys a majority, Nobert Mao the DP president general, says they are not bothered about where it all ends.

"It is not for us to decide which way Parliament will decide. We wish to insist that this is a struggle for justice and we should not be bogged down by the numbers," Mao said.

Bigirimana attacked

The leaders said that as they wait for the immediate outcome of their demands, they also have the alternative of seeking recourse in the courts of law.

"We cannot rule out any alternative available to us although we seek immediate action on suspension of Kayihura and an investigation into the leaked recordings," Otunnu said.

The opposition leaders also called for the suspension of Pius Bigirimana as permanent secretary in the ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development over his involvement in the Youth Livelihood Programme, which, they claim, did not follow standard formal procedure.

"The Youth Livelihood Programme was unveiled and officially launched well before any approval by cabinet and Parliament," reads the press statement. It claims that there are no regulations to guide the rolling out of the YLP, which was launched by President Museveni in January.

The opposition claims that no funds were allocated for this project in the 2013/14 budget, no security is apparently required for youth groups to access these funds and repayment is only due when actual profit has been realised on the loans.

skakaire@observer.ug    

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Gwokto La'Kitgum

"Even a small dog can piss on a tall Building", Jim Hightower