Kayihura re-appointed after apology

But following in-house deliberations, the lawmakers later agreed that he be allowed a new contract after the Army General reportedly apologised for the brutal clampdown on civil liberties, promising improvements. “He had to apologise for spraying the Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LoP) and other opposition members with pink water,” a source said, quoting him saying: “I confess I am sorry”.

Maj. Gen. Kayihura was reportedly reminded about a recent incident in the House when LoP Nandala Mafabi tabled his soiled suits and underwear as an example of police brutality. “A number of reservations were raised but these didn’t stop us from approving him,” a source said shortly after the committee meeting ended at 7:30pm. “It was a unanimous vote. Even the opposition members like the Leader of Opposition, Nandala Mafabi and Mathias Mpuuga who sit on the committee, approved him but blamed other police officers like Grace Turyagumanawe and others for denting the image of police.”

According to sources, Maj. Gen. Kayihura reportedly apologised for “mistakes committed by the bad apples within the Force” and said that some of the mistakes are not the making of the police but political. He promised to change the situation. “We have put it to him that there is a problem in Police which needs urgent attention and we are going to raise the same concerns with the President in our report to him” a committee source said.

“The problem with police is brutality and gross violation of human rights. We have lost many innocent Ugandans including babies. We have reminded him about Ugandans who have died at the hands of the Police and infiltration of the Force by other security organs.”

Another committee members said: “He took long in the Committee because his answers were long, but the good thing with him he was confident” a source said. “But the good thing with him he apologised for the mistakes and promised to ensure that mistakes are not repeated.”

A few minutes after 6pm, Gen. Kayihura emerged from the vetting room looking tired. “I have answered all questions put to me to the best of my ability and I leave the outcome in their hands,” Gen. Kayihura said. He also told journalists that some of the members were concerned about police discipline. “There are some mistakes here and there but we shall always try to rectify them,” he said.

In a report released in March, Human Rights Watch accused the police’s Rapid Response Unit of frequently operating outside the law, carrying out torture, extortion, and in some cases, extra-judicial killings. Amnesty International also recently strongly criticised police excesses.

But in his response, Gen Kayihura who at first looked uncomfortable taking questions from the journalists said he would engage the Amnesty International to discuss the matters they always raise about human rights, like he has done with the Human Rights Watch. “We shall also work towards promoting better welfare to our policemen at family level,” he said.

President Museveni’s re-appointment of Gen. Kayihura, who he has in the past praised as a cadre of the ruling NRM party, attracted criticism from politicians and rights activists over growing brutality and human rights abuses by what they said was an increasingly militarised police, particularly in dealing with government’s critics and opponents.