Parliament's appointments committee has approved an extension of General Kale Kayihura’s contract to serve for another three-year as the Inspector General of Police.
The Inspector General of Police, Kale Kayihura, made his way into parliament at 10:30am on Tuesday to be vetted by members of the Appointments Committee that is chaired by the Speaker Rebecca Kadaga.
The police chief spent close to two hours in the committee responding to questions from the MPs. Journalists were barred from attending the vetting.
Kayihura, who has been at the helm of the police force for the last 12 years, recently had his contract renewed for three years by President Museveni.
Sources who were at the meeting told NTV that the leader of opposition in parliament and other opposition MPs accused Kayihura of leading a force that brutalizes unarmed citizens. They also faulted him for replacing the original police structures with crime preventers and stick wielding men.
Other committee members criticized Kayihura for doing the president's bidding by suppressing opposition parties. They cited the recent case in Masaka where the police blocked members of the Democratic Party from holding a meeting as a case in point.
However, the NRM dominated committee overruled the objections raised and proceeded to approve the Gen. Kayihura's contract extention.Those opposed to the extension insisted that the Speaker write to President Museveni about the concerns they had raised.
During the same meeting, the committee also approved the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Okoth-Ochola, the Commissioner General of Prisons Johnson Byabashaija and his deputy, James Mwanje.