{UAH} MPs furious as Gen Kayihura skips meeting
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MPs furious as Gen Kayihura skips meeting
Written by Edris Kiggundu
Yesterday, Gen Kale Kayihura, the inspector general of police was eagerly expected to lead a team of officers of the Uganda Police Force (UPF) to appear before the parliamentary committee on defence and internal affairs.
Kayihura did not turn out. In his letter, he apologized to the committee for skipping the meeting, saying he had an urgent regional security meeting to attend in Nairobi. He delegated Ochola Okoth, his deputy, to lead the team.
However, some MPs, notably Muwanga Kivumbi, were infuriated by the police chief's no show. They said they had specific questions for Kayihura. Others said the committee could still hear from the police chiefs even without the IGP. EDRIS KIGGUNDU captured the proceedings and the debate. Below are excerpts
Judith Nabakooba (Mityana), the chairperson of the committee started by making some brief introductory remarks.
I want to thank members of the Uganda Police Force for having honoured our invitation. This is your committee and we are going to be working with you for the next one year. We get our mandate from article 90 of the constitution of Uganda. We are supposed to monitor performance, budget and make recommendations to parliament for debate.
We called you for an interaction because most of the members on this committee are new and we need this interaction. We want to know your mandate as the Uganda Police Force as far as protecting the masses is concerned. Without wasting time, we should go straight to the presentation by the UPF.
Muwanga Kivumbi (Butambala) raises a point of procedure: Honorable chair, yesterday we had a delegation from the ministry of internal affairs but the minister did not turn up. This being our first interaction with the police it is so alarming because it has become routine that the IGP always hesitates to appear before this committee.
He always sends a delegation here and he finds any reason from being summoned to State House to being busy. There are specific details and in- formation that we are sure only the IGP can answer.
Theodore Ssekikubo (Lwemiyaga): Madam chair, I also heard the leader of the delegation (Ochola) saying he is representing the IGP. What happened? Are we safe? Is our IGP kidnapped somewhere? Secondly the minister who is the political head, where is he? It is only proper that he leads the team.
Beatrice Anywar (Kitgum): From the colleagues submission it is really a great concern. This meeting is important that is why it has drawn some people from other committees. We wanted to interact with the IGP and the political head. It shows a lack of respect by this institution (police) for parliament. You cannot send a delegation without the political head or head of the institution. Are they undermining us?
Muyanja Mbabaali (Bukoto South): Madam chair article 211 (6) of the constitution says the Uganda Police Force shall be under the command of the inspector general of police who shall be assisted by the deputy inspector general of police. The deputy is here.
Nabakooba: May be we give an opportunity to the deputy inspector general of police to explain why the general is not here after that we shall adjourn for five minutes to give the minister time to come.
Ssekikubo: But you are already prejudicial madam chair. We can't allow a member to cite a constitutional provision when the other side has not told us why the IGP is not around. We need that answer.
Nabakooba: Let us hear from the deputy IGP
Ochola (deputy IGP): Thank you very much. We have a lot of respect for this committee that is why we are here. Secondly the IGP apologizes in writing to this honorable committee for his inability to attend the session. I am going to read his letter. He has to travel to Nairobi to meet his counterpart on urgent security matters (he reads Kayihura's letter in full).
Kivumbi: This happens to be the IGP's routine. I know most members here are new. In the last parliament we listened more to the same letters and stories. The last time we succeeded in having him here was because we threatened to invoke powers of the High court to summon him. As far as I am concerned the IGP is very much around in the country. Unless you facilitate us with the details of his travel like air ticket and the time he is supposed to fly out and we ascertain that this is not game
Nabakooba: I think honourable Muwanga Kivumbi that is asking for too much. If the head of the institution wrote to the committee, since it's the first meeting we should give him the benefit of doubt. Probably next time we need the IGP to be present. But for now since we want information for the new members, I would suggest that we give them the benefit of doubt.
Kivumbi: Madam chair, I strongly oppose your approach. I think you should have first consulted members before you come up with the ruling. I even heard you on radio confirming that the IGP will not come.
Nabakooba: Which radio?
Kivumbi: Radio Simba
Nabakooba: Stop lying (as she smiles)
Kivumbi: I heard you on radio. By 9.00 am you had talked to Radio Simba confirming the IGP will not come. The reason you gave on radio is different from the one we have been given. You said he was sup- posed to appear in court... this game must stop. We cannot conduct business of parliament in this manner. He [Kayihura] has a lot of questions to answer.
Ssekikubo: Hon Muwanga Kivumbi is jumping the gun. Whereas he has questions to answer, wait when he appears. For now my concern is to the chair who can give an interview to a media outlet preempting this meeting.
Rwemulikya Ibanda (Ntoroko): I welcome members from UPF. If the IGP has been dodging this committee, that is a great concern. For now if he has given his apology in writing and the deputy IGP is here let us take it in good faith but insist that next time he appears.
Dononzio Kahonda (Ruhinda): I appreciate the efforts and concerns of our members. Where I disagree is that they are bringing up matters of the 9th parliament yet this is the 10th parliament. Let's see how we shall proceed.
Anywar (point of procedure): This institution of parliament runs on institutional memory. We have bills handled in the last parliament that we have taken on. The honourable member being new cannot rub the history of this institution. The members should benefit from the institutional memory of parliament.
Kivumbi: Motion
Nabakooba: Not allowed
Kivumbi: Motion
Nabakooba: Not allowed honourable Kivumbi. I am the chairperson.
Felix Kulayigye (UPDF): As leaders we do operate legally and we base on legal materials. Unless we have contrary evidence, what has been tabled before the committee is an apology from the IGP and as Hon Muyanja did say, the constitution provides for the deputy IGP. This means we have no vacuum. The committee should go ahead and interact with the force.
Kivumbi: Motion.
Nabakooba: No.
Anywar: Motion takes precedence madam chair.
Nabakooba: Okay.
Kivumbi: Let me move a motion that since we are discussing an internal matter, the police being our witnesses first go out for five minutes and we inter- act as a committee.
Anywar: Seconded madam chair. The police officers were led out as the committee adjourned so that members could find a way forward. After the adjournment which lasted one hour, the committee decided to go ahead and hear the presentation from the police in Kayihura's absence, leading Kivumbi to walk out in protest.
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