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Gen Kayihura enrols as advocate, prepares to enter private practice
The former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Gen Kale Kayihura, has enroled as an advocate of the High Court. PHOTOS/COURTESY/FILE
What you need to know:
- According to the source, the General is one of the partners in Kale Kayihura and Associates and Consultants. The firm is said to have been registered more than five years ago.
The former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Gen Kale Kayihura, has enroled as an advocate of the High Court, four years after President Museveni brought down the curtain on his tenure as head of the Uganda Police Force.
Gen Kayihura was fired on March 4, 2018 before being dragged to the Court Martial. In the dock, he was charged with failure to protect war materials contrary to the UPDF Act; failure to supervise and ensure accountability for the arms and ammunitions issued to specialised units under the office of the IGP; as well as aiding and abetting kidnappings from Uganda.
Prior to his arrest and arraignment before the General Court Martial, several police officers who were believed to be his protégés had been arrested in October 2017.
They include Nixon Agasirwe; the former commandant of Police Professional Standards Unit, Mr Joel Aguma, the Assistant Inspector of Police Benon Atwebembeire; Assistant Superintendent of Police James Magada; D/Cpl Amon Kwarisiima attached to Crime Intelligence, Sgt Abel Tumukunde; and SPC Faisal Katende both formerly attached to the Police Flying Squad.
Again on January 20, 2018 following the death of Case Clinic accountant, Francis Ekalungar, Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) arrested Abdullah Kitatta, the patron of Boda boda 2010 and his brother Huzair Kiwalabye. Both were believed to be close associates of Gen Kayihura.
Gen Kayihura was released on bail in August 2018 after 76 days in custody.
Before his as IGP appointment in November 2005, the General had held various positions—including that of staff officer in the office of assistant minister of Defence, chief political commissar-cum director of political education in the National Resistance Army (NRA) now UPDF and also headed the Anti-Smuggling Unit (ASU).
Since his release, Gen Kayihura lived a quiet life away from the public view and camera lenses until Friday when images of him clad in court robes started making a buzz on social media.
The spokesperson of Judiciary, Mr Jameson Karemani, confirmed to Sunday Monitor that Gen Kayihura enroled as an advocate on Friday.
“Yes it is true that Gen Kayihura enroled as an Advocate of the Courts of judicature yesterday (Friday) morning,” Mr Karemani confirmed.
Images of the former IGP, clad in court robes triggered discussions about his status in the UPDF.
It was not possible to establish from him whether he had quit the Force to go into private practice, but the Army and Defence spokesperson, Brig Felix Kulayigye told Sunday Monitor that Gen Kayihura is still a serving officer of the Force.
“Gen Kayihura is still a serving senior officer of the UPDF. He has never been retired,” Brig Kulayigye said.
Mr Karemani clarified that anyone with the requisite qualifications can enrol as an advocate regardless of his employment status.
“Any person can enrol as an advocate. It does not mean that when you are in government you cannot work as an advocate. Even a State Attorney can enrol when he or she is working in government,” Mr Karemani said.
A source close to Gen Kayihura, who has a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from Makerere University, a Master of Laws (LLM) from the London School of Economics and a Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre, revealed that the General is preparing to go into private legal practice.
According to the source, the General is one of the partners in Kale Kayihura and Associates and Consultants. The firm is said to have been registered more than five years ago.
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The source, however, hastened to add that commencement of a career in private practice is dependent on both retirement from the UPDF and disposal by the General Court Martial of the charges that were brought against him after he was sacked.
No pardon
In January last year, President Museveni—while campaigning in Gen Kayihura’s home area, Kisoro—said that he would consider a request by the people of the district to grant the General a pardon.
“Kale Kayihura, just like the [Kisoro LC5] chairman said, there’re those who committed heavy sins and we forgave them. So then why don’t we forgive him? Because you’ve asked and said he’s our person (NRM), I’ll speak to the military prosecution and tell them your request and also add in my request to have him forgiven,” Mr Museveni said.
In December last year, the Commander of Land Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba—who is also President Museveni’s son and senior presidential advisor on special operations—pleaded with the President to pardon Gen Kayihura.
“Gen K Kayihura was one of those special cadres in the early 1990s who inspired us to serve our nation. Others were late Generals Mayombo and Kazini. If he made mistakes, let us use revolutionary methods of work to rectify them. I request the CIC (Commader-in-Chief) to forgive and rehabilitate him,” Muhoozi said in a tweet.
The charges for which he faces a maximum penalty of death on conviction have, however, never been dropped by the General Court Martial.
“I have no information on that [the charges before the General Court Martial],” Brig Kulaigye told Sunday Monitor.
