The appointments committee of Parliament today approved the appointment of Maj Gen Paul Lokech to the office of the Inspector General of Uganda Police.
President Yoweri Museveni on 16th December 2020 dropped Maj Gen Stephen Muzeeyi Sabiiti from the position of deputy Inspector General of Police replacing him with Maj Gen Paul Lokech.
The appointment was approved despite a petition from a city Lawyer, Male Mabiri who petitioned the clerk to parliament on Thursday challenging Gen. Lokech’s appointment saying it is illegal for a UPDF officer to be deployed to lead the police.
In the letter, Mabirizi asked the clerk to Parliament to reject Lokech’s appointment claiming it will worsen the already bad democratic situation in the country.
Mabirizi says that according to section 9, 1(b) of the Police Act, the functions of the police authority are to advise the President on the appointment of the Inspector General of Police and his deputy among others and the police authorities are the ones to establish the procedure and form of application to be adopted in the appointment of police officers to the force.
Lokech is one of UPDF commanders credited for breaking the back of Al-Shabaab militants in Somalia when he was commander of a military contingent between 2011 and 2012.
It is not the first time military men have been appointed to serve as leaders of Uganda Police Force. General Katumba Wamala served as the IGP of Police, followed by General Kale Kayihura who also led the force as IGP and lately Muzeyi Sabiti the Deputy IGP who was in military police.