Police Spokesperson has dismissed the rumors that have in recent days circulated on social media claiming the Inspector General of Police Gen Kale Kayihura was under siege and that he has been replaced. The messages whose source remains unknown alleged that Kayihura’s home had been surrounded by military police while later reports claimed he had been appointed to the UN.
But Police Spokesperson AIGP Asan Kasingye has watered down the ‘rumors’ which he said are untrue and that their intentions are yet to be discovered. He said that the police chief is carrying on with his duties normally.
“The IGP is in office and working normally and his home was not under siege” Kasingye clarified.
“I dont know why these rumors are being circulated,” he added.
Comemting on the reported redeployment of Kayihura, Kasingye stated that there are well stipulated procedures for such appointments which have not yet stated so.
“These appointments are made by His Excellency the President and Article 211 of the Police Act provides that when an IGP is appointed, the Speaker of Parliament who chairs the Appointments Comittee has to be notified,” Kasingye said.
He said that there are institutions of government that are responsible for official communication in regard to such changes and thus, social media reports are mere propaganda.
“We are not bothered by these rumors and we shall continue to do our work normally,” he said.
This clarification comes days after Kayihura himself broke silence and similarly denied the claims saying that his personal security and that of his home has not changed. Kayihura said that those behind the spread of the allegations were “motivated by malice and sinister motives”.
“I am safe and well, going about my duties normally. There should, therefore, be no cause for alarm on account of the false stories in the media,” Kayihura said in a statement released on Sunday.
However, speculations had followed regarding the authenticity of Kayihura’s statement which appeared plainly as opposed to a headed official paper as procedure requires.
Kasingye regretted this saying; “The press release by the IGP is very genuine, it was signed by the IGP. We made a mistake, we should have put in on a headed paper.”
Kasingye told journalists that elements on social media are creating these hoaxes to make an impression that there is a problem in the country which isn’t true.