Prime Minister, Ruhakana Rugunda has revealed that a top security meeting has been summoned to discuss the fate of former Inspector General of Police, Kale Kayihura next week.
Rugunda made the revelation during Thursday’s plenary sitting in response to a directive issued by Speaker Rebecca Kadaga to inform the nation on what Government is doing about Kale’s fate.
He said, “It is true that American Government has taken measures against General Kale Kayihura and these measures are being studied by Government and actually next week a meeting has been called of Ministers if possible for Defence, Security and Internal Affairs and Attorney General to give further examinations of this matter so that Government handles this matter from the position of knowledge.”
It should be recalled that on Wednesday, Speaker Kadaga asked the Prime Minister to explain the recent United States of America indictment against former Inspector General of Police, Kale Kayihura over accusations of corruption and abuse of human rights.
Last week, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed visa restrictions and economic sanctions to Kayihura and his family over alleged corruption and human rights abuses with the North American country statement noting that it was in possession of credible information that Kayihura was involved in torture, cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, through command responsibility of the Flying Squad, a specialized unit of the Uganda Police Force that reported directly to him.
According to the indictment, Flying Squad Unit members reportedly used sticks and rifle butts to abuse detainees at the infamous Nalufenya detention facility in Jinja.
The US Government further accused Kayihura of engaging in numerous acts of corruption including using bribery to strengthen his political position within the government of Uganda, stealing funds intended for official Ugandan government business, and using another government employee to smuggle illicit goods, including drugs, gold, and wildlife, out of Uganda.
Kayihura denied the accusations, saying he did most of his work with the US authorities especially the Federal Bureau of Investigations and taunted US of awarding him for his fight against terrorism, describing the allegations as concoction.
Kadaga’s directive followed a concern raised by Francis Mwijukye (Buhweju County) who wondered why Government is silent about Kayihura’s sanctions yet at the epitome of his career, President Yoweri Museveni praised Kayihura’s service describing him as a good cadre and questioned why the good cadre had been abandoned at such a time.
The National Security Council draws it powers from article 219 of the Constitution and the National Security Council Act that came into commencement in June 2000.
The National Security Council as an advisory body to the President on all matters relating to national security and other matters connected therewith or incidental thereto whise functions include; to inform and advise the President on matters relating to national security, to coordinate and advise on policy matters relating to intelligence and security, to review national security needs and goals, to brief the Cabinet regularly on matters relating to national security as well as to receive and act on reports from the joint intelligence committee.
The National Security Council is composed of; the President who shall be the chairperson, the Vice President, Minister for internal affairs, Minister r for finance, Attorney General, Minister responsible for foreign affairs, ; Minister for security and Minister for defence.
The Council also has other members who are ex officio members with no voting rights and these include; Inspector General of Police, Army Commander, Director General of Internal Security Organisation, Director General of External Security Organisation, director of the criminal investigations department, the Chief of Military Intelligence, the Commissioner of Prisons.
