Kayihura in Turkey amid ill-health speculations
Kale Kayihura appears in public two weeks back. Photo by Rachel Mabala
What you need to know:
- Gen Kayihura, who is known for reporting at his office at 10am and leaving as late as 3am the next day, of recent has been just dropping by his workplace in the evening and works for less than four hours.
- A police officer told Daily Monitor that Gen Kayihura reported at work at police headquarters, Naguru, in Kampala City, with a cannula on his hand last week.
KAMPALA.
Police have denied media speculations that the Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura, is bedridden.
The police spokesman, Mr Asan Kasingye, said Gen Kayihura is in Turkey on official duties.
“IGP is in Turkey on official duty. He will be back in the course of this week,” Mr Kasingye said.
This means that he has delegated his powers to his deputy, Mr Martin Okoth Ochola. He is expected to return in the country on Wednesday.
Uganda Police Force and Turkish Police have memoranda of understanding on several projects including the construction of health facility and training of special force units. He has been frequenting Turkey since 2015.
There have been speculations both in tabloids and social media that Gen Kayihura is unwell.
He was last seen in public when he attended a security meeting chaired by President Museveni at State House Entebbe on May 31.
Gen Kayihura, who is known for reporting at his office at 10am and leaving as late as 3am the next day, of recent has been just dropping by his workplace in the evening and works for less than four hours.
Kale Kayihura during his last public appearance in Kampala.
A police officer told Daily Monitor that Gen Kayihura reported at work at police headquarters, Naguru, in Kampala City, with a cannula on his hand last week.
There were reports that he had been flown to India for treatment, but Mr Kasingye described the reports as fake news that should be disregarded.
Many senior officers don’t want to report medical problems because it is one of the grounds that can be put forward to retire them if they are seen to be unfit to provide a service.
Gen Kayihura’s disappearance from public has always been cause of speculations.
In August 2011, when he visited Germany to correct his eyesight problems, it was alleged that he had collapsed in office and rushed to abroad for treatment.
He had to send photographs of him and Germany officials to allay fears about his health condition.
After a stressful 2016 general elections, he took leave for weeks on similar grounds. Even when he returned, he worked on in the evenings.
