The former Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura, has tapped two influential UPDF generals; Maj Gen Sam Kavuma and Maj Gen James Mugira, to stand as sureties to bail him out tomorrow.
Gen Kavuma, a former aide-de-camp to President Museveni, is currently the deputy Land Forces Commander while Gen Mugira, a former chief of Military Intelligence, is the head of the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), the army’s business arm.
Highly-placed sources familiar with the case told Daily Monitor that the ex-police chief settled for the two-star generals after it became evident none of the full generals at his rank would bail him out.
Some of Uganda’s four-star generals- many retired include President Museveni, his brother Salim Saleh, a senior presidential adviser on Defence matters, First Deputy Prime Minister Moses Ali, Security minister Elly Tumwine and State minister for Works Katumba Wamala.
Internal Affairs Minister Jeje Odongo, who is also a full general, said publicly Gen Kayihura “has a case to answer” while Chief of Defence Forces David Muhoozi would be conflicted since the trial and investigations against the ex-IGP are being conducted by UPDF.
Previous scenario
The other possible four-star general who could be a surety is David Sejusa, a renegade officer, a suspect before the General Court Martial that is trying Gen Kayihura.
In 2016, the court martial rejected two sureties paraded by Gen Sejusa on grounds that none was at the rank of a full general.
Gen Sejusa, who was at the time battling charges of allegedly participating in political activities and yet he was a serving army officer, had presented Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and Dr Kizza Lukyamuzi as sureties.
The then court chairman ruled that a full general with power and means to compel Gen Sejusa’s court attendance was required to bail him out.
Gen Kayihura was last Friday charged with two counts of failing to protect war materials and one count of aiding and abetting kidnapping [Rwandan refugees] from Uganda while serving as the police chief.
He is expected to return to court tomorrow for hearing of his bail application.
It is unclear if the court martial, chaired by Lt Andrew Gutti, will invoke the precedent set by his predecessor while considering Gen Kayihura’s case.
We were unable to reach both Maj Gen Kavuma and Maj Gen Mugira, whose cellphones were switched off.
Maj Gen Mugira was in court when Gen Kayihura was first arraigned last Friday.
ALLEGATIONS
It is alleged that between 2010 and 2018, Gen Kayihura allowed issuance of arms and ammunitions to unauthorised persons, including Boda Boda 2010 head Abdullah Kitatta, who is also being tried by the court martial.
Gen Kayihura also allegedly failed to supervise and ensure accountability for arms and ammunitions issued to units referred to as specilised under his office.
It is also alleged that the ex-IGP between 2012 and 2016, by omission and commission, aided and abetted the actions of subordinate police officers and others on various occasions, without hindrance to kidnap and illegally repatriate Rwandan exiles, refugees and Ugandan citizens to Rwanda.
What law says: Section 122(1) of the UPDF Act provides that “a person subject to the military law who fails to protect war materials, misuses or sells them, commits an offence and on conviction, is liable to suffer death.”
By Daily Monitor
