Media reports of senior police officers who are lobbying for the job of Inspector General of Police have caused unease within the Uganda Police Force.
A local website last week reported that there is an ongoing fight between senior police officers and UPDF officers over the position currently held by John Martins Okoth Ochola but his contract expires next week.
The reports also claimed that all those fighting are seeking to have the four of President Museveni to appoint them as the next police chief.
Addressing journalists on Monday, police spokesperson, Fred Enanga said whereas Ochola’s current term expires on March, 4, the claims of fights and lobbying for the job are untrue.
He described the claims as being propagandist from information peddlers that he said should not be relied on by the public.
“These allegations are not true. The position of the Inspector General of Police is very prestigious and takes a lot of hardware to earn. The person of the IGP must be somebody competent in leadership and administration and therefore, the position cannot be lobbied,” Enanga said.
He explained the names of nominees for the position of the Inspector General of Police are vetted by the police authority and later forwarded to the president, who is also the commander in chief of the armed forces to pick the best choice.
Enanga however noted that those speaking of lobbying are ignorant of this process.
“After the police authority vetting names, they are forwarded to the president. Those who think they can lobby the president to appoint them are wrong. That’s not how things work.”
Ochola , who was then the deputy Inspector General of Police was appointed as the police chief in 2018 to replace his then boss, Gen Kale Kayihura.
He is credited for restoring sanity within the police force.
