By Hanning Mbabazi
Uganda Police has transferred and replaced all police officers attached to Makerere University Police station.
This was revealed by commissioner of Police CP, Moses Kafeero, the commandant Kampala Metropolitan Police (KMP).
The transfer comes at a time when the officers attached to the University are in trouble over the unlawful attempted eviction of Eng. Frank Kitumba, the former Director Directorate for ICT Support (DICTS).
Transferred Officers say, this is a normal transfer however sources close urge that, the massive shuffle is a response to a request by the acting Deputy Vice Chancellor Finance and Administration at Makerere University, Prof. William Bazeyo.
According to Bazeyo, Police officers connive with wrong dwellers in the university and fail to implement the university’s illegal polices,” a source from the university disclosed.
It should be remembered that in August 2019, Eng. Katumba filed a complaint of professional misconduct against the officers with the Professional Standards Unit under file number PSU/KMP/GEF/517/2019.
In his complaint, he sought the apprehension of Assistant Commissioner of Police, Phillip Acaye, the University Chief Security Officer, ASP Nickson Okello, the officer in charge of Makerere University police station and Corporal Kenneth Kaunda Oulanya.
In July this year, the Inspector General of Police – IGP, Okoth Martins Ochola cautioned Police officers attached to Makerere University to stay away from illegal staff evictions from their quarters.
In a July 29th, 2019 letter signed by Assistant Inspector General of Police, Erasmus Twaruhukwa, the Director of Human Rights and Legal services Uganda Police Force, the IGP observes that police officers were being used in an illegal mission by University Authorities.
In August, city lawyer Henry Rwaganika of Rwaganika & Baku Advocates said, police officers were disregarding court orders and executing orders of university administrators.
“To us, this is sad. Very sad indeed for the police to be used in acts of breaking the law, worse still in acts where the perpetrators are not only abusing their officials with impunity but also acting in utter disobedience of lawful court directives and orders which the university authorities now refer in derogatory language as ‘mere pieces of paper’,” Rwaganika complained about the police force attached to Makerere.
Our Spies has learned that Makerere University has been paying allowances to all police officers with the lowest ranked police officer earning Shillings 10,000 per day. Commanders earn between Shillings 15,000 and 20,000.
Some of the transferred officers hadn’t received their six months’ allowances and their constant demands irked the university management.
Among the transferred officers are Sergeant Solomon Byaruhanga, Milly Onen, Joseph Biita, Kenneth Kaunda Olanya, Geoffrey Nguka, Francis Bashir Odwee, Hussein Nalugoda, Onesmus Muhumuza, Julius Lule, Joseph Opus, Sunday Okecha, Emmanuel Gateera, Christine Aroma and Susan Atim among others.
