60 former Flying Squad operatives sent home

Ex-Flying Squad Unit boss Herbert Muhangi and new boss Peter Kakonge. FILE PHOTOS

What you need to know:

  • The Flying Squad has been on the frontline of fighting violent crimes like aggravated robberies, car thefts and kidnaps.
  • Last month, Mr Okoth-Ochola restructured the Flying Squad and reverted its former commandant, Mr Herbert Muhangi to general duties, which is a lower responsibility.

Sixty former Flying Squad police operatives have been fired from the Force following a vetting process carried out last month.
A police source, who preferred anonymity, said the list of the sacked operatives was sent to the Inspector General of Police, Mr Martins Okoth-Ochola, for further decision on their fate.
Majority of the operatives are special police constables who had been serving on temporary contracts.

More than 175 former Flying Squad Unit operatives were vetted last month at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations in Kibuli, Kampala, to weed out indisciplined and incompetent personnel.
A police source said the vetting team recommended that at least 60 of the operatives should not be redeployed in any of the other police units.
Mr Vincent Ssekatte, the CID spokesperson, did not deny or confirm the new sacking of the operatives.

“I have consulted the team that carried out the vetting about the recommendations, but I haven’t received any feedback from them. I can’t give you any comment right now,” Mr Ssekatte said yesterday.
According to police sources, during the vetting, the former Flying Squad operatives were disarmed and ordered to reapply for employment in the force.

Last month, Mr Okoth-Ochola restructured the Flying Squad and reverted its former commandant, Mr Herbert Muhangi to general duties, which is a lower responsibility.
On Monday, the Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr Peter Kakonge, was named the new Flying Squad commander. Mr Kakonge joined police in 1980.
Former Flying Squad operatives, who passed the vetting are likely to be redeployed.

One of the operatives we contacted said: “Police have not talked to us since we were vetted. We are still un-deployed.”
The Flying Squad has been on the frontline of fighting violent crimes like aggravated robberies, car thefts and kidnaps.
They fought many armed robberies on Mobile Money shops and agents which peaked between 2012 and 2013.
However, the unit was later accused of crime and human rights abuses.