Kampala. The Director General of the Internal Security Organisation (ISO), Col Kaka Bagyenda, has carried out a massive shake-up of the local intelligence gathering outfit.
Insiders say this is the most far-reaching shake-up in over a decade, which has left more than 100 directors, deputy directors and staff officers transferred or reassigned.
Col Bagyenda communicated the changes in a message sent to all operatives on December 24, 2018 at 6pm.
According to the changes, Lt Col Herbert Muramagi, who has been a senior director in the office of the Director General, is now the overseer of all ISO operations.
However, the position of overseer, insiders we talked to say, does not exist in the ISO structure.
ISO boss speaks out
When contacted for a comment on the changes and what informed them, Col Bagyenda was terse in his response.
“[Daily] Monitor, congratulations for waking up. You mean we should come out and discuss methodologies as to how we do our work in the paper? Have a Happy New Year, please,” he said before he hung up.
Former executive assistant in the office of the Director General, Lt Col Pius Alitema, is now the new overseer of administration.
Lt Col Frank Banana is the overseer of political affairs. He has been senior director of political affairs.
Lt Col Fred Lubega, who was the director of political affairs, has been sent to Joint Intelligence Committee, which has operatives from Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), Police, External Security Organisation (ESO) and ISO.
Lt Col Dan Mugisha has been moved from human resource to popular intelligence network (PIN) and his role is to gather intelligence from the populace.
Lt Col Mugisha has been replaced by Lt Kagoro Kijamurubiri, who had long retired but was recalled.
Lt Col Sserubiri is the new director of operations. Lt Col Joel Agaba has been named director of technical to social affairs.
Lt Col Charles Ndawula and Lt Col Charles Oluka, who had been on suspension over the death a Polish businessman at Pearl of Africa Hotel in Kampala last year, were recalled and redeployed in the office of the Director General.
Lt Col Oluka will be in charge of special operations in the office of the Director General
In the other changes, Maj Charles Karugaba is in charge of the airport security, Lt Col Ajiku, who was in charge of airport security, has been moved to the training directorate.
Lt Col Kyango Walusukira, who was deputy director of records, is the new director of inspectorate. He was replaced by Mr Sam Odeke.
Most of the senior directors are due for retirement in July because they have clocked the mandatory retirement age of 60 years.
Security agencies, including ISO, have been on the spot for failure to gather intelligence on major crimes, especially the murders that have engulfed the country in recent years.
ISO, which has structures up to the sub-county level, was also blamed in 2014 for failure to detect the build up to the chaos in Rwenzori region, which led to the attack on the palace of Rwenzururu King Charles Wesley Mumbere in 2017.
There have been complaints about poor facilitation of operatives, who reportedly take long to get operational funds.
The wrangling between security agencies, especially police and ISO before Gen Kale Kayihura was dropped as police boss, had also paralysed intelligence gathering and sharing, which, according to sources, partly contributed to increase in crime.
Most of the funding for intelligence had been diverted to police under Gen Kayihura, leaving agencies such as ISO and CMI underfunded.
But after the sacking of Gen Kayihura early last year, CMI and ISO have taken the lead role in crime intelligence gathering.
By Daily Monitor
