Ainomugisha, a computer scientist turned police spokesperson

Evas Ainomugisha on duty at the Uganda Police Force Headquarters in Naguru. Photo by Abubaker Lubowa.

What you need to know:

  • Born on September 15, 1986 at Kashenyi village, Bugangari Sub County, Rukungiri District, Ainomugisha is the first born of eight children born of Enid and Wilberforce Batuura.

If you met your former primary teacher and asked him to remind of you what you wanted to be, you would realise it was totally different from what you are doing today. As a child you dream of many things, which change when you grow up.
This is the case with Evas Ainomugisha the first spokesperson for police health and welfare directorates. When she was a child, Ainomugisha dreamt of being an engineer but graduated in computer science and joined police in 2010.

In April this year, the deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP), Martin Okoth Ochola, appointed her as the first spokesperson for the Police Welfare and Health directorates.
Ainomugisha, a former student of Kampala International University (KIU), says she grew up admiring engineers but her father wanted her to be a police officer.

After sitting her Senior Six examinations which she passed with less points than she needed to earn government sponsorship, Ainomugisha changed her aspirations from engineering to computer science. “I worked hard at Senior Six, hopeful of getting points for an engineering course. Unfortunately, the marks I scored could only earn me a diploma course,” she says.

Chance for further education
As Ainomugisha wondered whether to pursue a diploma in engineering, Kampala International University (KIU) offered her a bursary to study Computer Science. She had earlier applied to KIU through the district quota bursary scheme as soon as she got her UACE results. Since her dream was to earn a degree as opposed to a diploma, she grabbed the opportunity.

After graduating in Computer Science in 2009, her father Wilberforce Batuura, encouraged her to join the police force. She says her father wanted one of her children to serve in security forces and being the first born she felt obliged to make her father’s dream a reality.

“Since I was a child, my father encouraged me to become a security person. He wanted me to serve the country as a police officer. I became his target,” Ainomugisha says.
Batuura intensified his encouragement when he read an advert about police recruitment in 2010. She says she was afraid to join police because of the numerous stories she had been told. She had been fed on stories of how the training involves shooting of trainees and half of them die on the course.

Ainomugisha had also been told that female trainees are always sexually assaulted by trainers and male trainees. She gained confidence when a female friend who had just completed the training paid a visit to her home. She told her that whatever she had heard was false.

Before she could make her final decision, her uncle, a major in the UPDF engineering brigade visited her village and inspired her further. On arrival at Kabalye Police Training School (PTS) in Masindi District, she did not have lunch or supper. This was not due to lack of food. She was afraid of what lay ahead in training. The next day she collapsed during the parade.

According to Ainomugisha, for one to become a security officer, you must be committed. You need to have the “I can make it” thinking. She says she completed the course because she always engaged in positive thinking at every stage of training. Through two years of her course, she kept positive by reading stories and books of hope.

After completing their first year, Ainomugisha’s class were brought to man security during the walk to work protests of 2011. This, she says, helped her and fellow trainees to acquire policing skills; which is why graduates from her year are commanding police divisions and stations in Kampala.
Ainomugisha’s intake (2010) had 500 cadet trainees of whom more than 120 were female.

Graduates from her intake include; Charles Nsaba, Old Kampala Division Police Commander (DPC), Joseph Nsabimana, DPC Wandegeya, Aaron Baguma, former CPS DPC, Frantile Lwamusai, DPC Katwe and Michael Kasigire, DPC Kira Road.

Her first deployment was at the police public relations office where she worked as the force’s social media officer. Her main challenge was social media attacks on the police. She countered this by providing correct versions of false social media publications.

“The challenge with social media is that the public gets to know things before you have any clue about them. You must be ready to post factual information on both positive and negative social media opinions,” she narrates.

Details of her new role
The police health and welfare directorate, which Ainomugisha represents, ensures police officers have all they need for effective service. This includes; remuneration, uniforms and feeding. Her main task is sensitising officers to know their entitlements.

The force has designed a mechanism through which police officers can increase their earnings and improve standards of living. This is through the police Sacco and duty free shops. “The Sacco enables officers to get affordable salary loans. The loans can be used to pay school fees or purchase property such as land and build houses.
The duty free shop enables officers to get access to cheaper building material,” she says.

By virtue of her position, Ainomugisha is a member of the police rectification committee that ensures the image of Uganda Police Force is protected or revamped where it has been soiled.
ASP Sophie Naggayi Kaggwa, the publicist for ICT, Legal, Special duties and forensic directorates all based at Naguru police headquarters, describes Ainomugisha as a disciplined and hardworking person.

Background

Born on September 15, 1986 at Kashenyi village, Bugangari Sub County, Rukungiri District, Ainomugisha is the first born of eight children born of Enid and Wilberforce Batuura. She attended Bugangari Primary School, Bugangari Secondary School for Ordinary Level and Kinyansano Girls’ High School for Uganda Advance Certificate of Education (UACE).