The creeping cold war between two security urgencies; Uganda Police Force and Chieftaincy of Militray Intelligence (CMI) has intensified.
This follows a tirade by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Gen Kale Kayihura last week to other security chiefs warning telling them against rigorous harassment subjected to his officers.
Kayihura defended his men saying they have performed extraordinarily despite negativities aiming at tarnishing the Force’s image.
Late last month agents from CMI which is led by Col Abel Kandiho arrested a number of senior police officers who later would be charged in the Military Court over espionage, illegal repatriation of Rwandan refugees, murder of businessmen and other crimes.
Sources in security say that the Commander in Chief (CiC) President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni sanctioned the arrests by ordering Kandiho to ‘swiftly act.’
Other media reports indicated that CMI had taken over police operations by probing mysterious murders of women in Entebbe, Nansana and Wakiso.
This worsened the cooperation between the two domestic law offencement agencies as the relationship became more tense.
“The arrests rattled our top administration,” said an insider in police.
Rivalry
“We are also not seated. We will also expose them,” warned senior officer in police who said they have launched clandestine investigations to bust unclean operatives within other sister agencies particularly CMI.
A source said that what annoyed high authorities in the police establishment is detaining senior officers at CMI head offices in Mbuya and also charging in the Court Martial.
“Such humiliation of our officers. Killing our image. It was a shame. But we are not seated.”
However, the power struggle between the two organs could likely endanger their working relations since they are supposed to collaborate while executing duties to maintain stability in the country.
UPDF publicist Brig Richard Karemire who also speaks for CMI when asked about this cold war and whether it is not likely to affect the standards working relations.
“Those are rumours just ignore,” the one star General said before raising concerns why the media is not interested in matters that promote national security.
However, Karemire was informed that such bickering can derail national security.
Police spokesman AIGP Asan Kasingye couldn’t be reached for a comment as he couldn’t answer our repeated calls.
His deputy Polly Namaye’s known mobile number was off.