Kayihura suspends Rwego

Mr Francis Rwego 

The Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, has suspended the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Mr Francis Rwego, who was the overall commander who oversaw the return of the FDC leader from Kenya on Thursday.

Mr Rwego’s suspension follows the establishment of a committee by the outgoing Internal Affairs Minister, Al-hajj Kirunda Kivejinja, to investigate the incidents that happened on Entebbe Road during the return of Dr Kizza Besigye.

Investigations
“This is to inform the public that AIGP Francis Rwego is suspended from duty pending full investigations into the incidents by the committee that has been set up by government to inquire into what happened and the causes,” Gen. Kayihura said yesterday.

Supporters of Dr Besigye jammed Entebbe Road and allegedly hurled insults at visiting presidents who were going for a banquet at State House in Entebbe after attending President Museveni’s swearing-in ceremony at Kololo.

According to Gen. Kayihura, AIGP Rwego was assigned to effectively manage the convoy of Dr Besigye from Entebbe Airport to Kampala within the agreed time of one hour.

“At any rate, the convoy should have reached Kasaawe ground near Sharing Hall Nsambya, much before the end of the swearing- in Ceremony at Kololo Independence grounds. This did not happen,” Gen. Kayihura said.

On May, 15, Al-hajj Kivejinja asked the commanders who were in-charge of security during the return of Dr Besigye return to step aside to allow for smooth investigation by the committee led by the outgoing State Minister of Defence, Gen. Jeje Odongo.

The committee is supposed to carry out its work within one week.

However, Kampala Lord Mayor-elect, Erias Lukwago ,said Al-hajji Kivejinja does not have any mandate to institute a committee as the third deputy Prime Minister and Internal Affairs minister. “He doesn’t have the mandate. The government officially expired on May 12,” Mr Lukwago, a constitutional lawyer, said yesterday.

Mr Lukwago said the decisions of the committee can be challenged in the Constitutional Court.

FDC spokesperson Wafula Oguttu had earlier in a statement commended the police officers who were in-charge of Dr Besigye return, including AIGP Rwego, AIGP Asan Kasingye and Commissioner Laban Muhabwe, for professionally handling them.

But he castigated President Guard Brigade and Military Police for beating people.

Who is Rwego

Francis Rwego is one of the long-serving police officers.
He is among the only eight police officers at the rank of AIGP.
He is on a three-year contract which is supposed to expire next month.
He is currently the Director of International Police and Peace Missions.
He is the former Director of Police Operations, a post he held for more than eight years.
He is one of the directors of Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort.