By Akram Kakooza
Commander of Land Forces who is also the first son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has pleaded with President Museveni to forgive former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Gen Kale Kayihura.
Muhoozi said that Kayihura was a special cadre who inspired him to serve Uganda.
The Commander of Land Forces made the request in a tweet on his verified handle, Wednesday.
“Gen K Kayihura was one of those special cadres in the early 1990s who inspired us to serve our nation. Others were late Generals Mayombo and Kazini. If he made mistakes, let us use revolutionary methods of work to rectify them. I reques the CIC to forgive and rehabilitate him,” Muhoozi said in a tweet.
General Kale Kayihura was IGP from 2005 until 5 March 2018 when he was sacked by Museveni. He was later replaced by Martin Okoth Ochola in June 2018.
In June 2018, Kayihura was arrested and charged in the Makindye General Court Martial for several offences committed during his time as IGP.
Military prosecutor at the time, Major Raphael Mugisha, accused him of allowing arms and ammunition to be issued to a notorious gang which operated among motorcycle taxi drivers in Kampala, as well as failing to secure weapons issued to specialised police units.
He was also accused of abuse of office and abetted kidnap of Rwandan refugees.
Kayihura would later on in August be granted bail.
While campaigning in Kisoro on January, 5, 2020, leaders from Kayihura’s home district led by the LC5 chairman, Abel Bizimana asked President Museveni to consider pardoning the “son of the soil” in case he had committed any misdeeds.
Several other party leaders joined Bizimana to lie prostrate on the ground as they in unison asked that Museveni considers pardoning Kayihura who was impactful in mobilizing for votes for the ruling NRM party and specifically President Museveni in the area.
In response to the request, President Museveni said he was ready to talk to the army court to see what to do with charges against the former police chief.
The President said since the party leaders from the area had sat and unanimously agreed to have their son of the son pardoned, he could not do contrary to their request.
“Since the leaders of Kisoro sitting here have asked me to pardon that great NRM mobiliser, I will personally put the request to the military prosecution,” Museveni said then.
In a February 2, 2021 letter, Lt Gen Andrew Gutti, the army court chairman sought guidance from Gen David Muhoozi, the then Chief of Defence Forces on how to proceed with the matter after being approached by a group of youths from Kisoro seeking an update.
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