The newly created Directorate of Forensic Science (DFS) boss, Andrew Mubiru, is the only police officer who has skipped ranks in today’s promotions released by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
General Museveni, who is also the Commander in Chief of the armed forces, has accelerated Mubiru from the rank of Superintendent of Police to Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), thus skipping the rank of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP).
When Gen Aronda Nyakairima was appointed minister of internal affairs in 2013, he prohibited rank-skipping.Since then, no police officer in the senior category has been skipping ranks even though there are those who have been rapidly promoted, something that attracted a probe by the Inspectorate of Government.
Despite the acceleration by two ranks, ACP Mubiru will remain the lowest ranking police officer serving at the director level. Before today’s promotion, Mubiru had been two to five ranks below his colleagues holding the same office.
With today’s promotion, Mubiru will now be one rank below his closest colleague at the director level, Hilary Kulayigye, who has been promoted from ACP to Commissioner of Police – CP. Kulayigye is now holding the Chief Political Commissar (CPC), which was being held by Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Asan Kasingye, who was edged out of the police service in June after Museveni declined to renew his contract.
Uganda Radio Network (URN) has established that Mubiru’s acceleration was recommended by the Police Authority chaired by the Minister for Internal Affairs, Maj Gen (rtd) Kahinda Otafiire. Other members on the Police Authority committee include Inspector General of Police-IGP Martin Ochola, former IGP John Cossy Odomel, Gen David Muhoozi, who is the state minister for internal affairs and also deputy chairman of the Police Authority, and Permanent Secretary Ministry of Internal Affairs, Lt Gen Joseph Musanyufu.
Police standing orders stipulate that for any person to serve as a director, he or she must be at the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP). This is why the Police Authority recommended Mubiru skip ranks so that he is not too far from his colleagues.
Mubiru was promoted alongside 33 others to the rank of ACP. The promotions also saw five Senior Commissioners of Police (SCP) promoted to AIGP while nine CPs were promoted to SCP. General Otafiire said the promotions were based on record of service, duration and existing vacancies.
Museveni has also elevated 173 lower-rank police officers to the senior category. These have been at the rank of Inspector of Police—IP to Assistant Superintendent of Police—ASP. This means those who have been living in police units, for instance, those at Naguru police headquarters, must now vacate.
Former Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango was promoted from SP to SSP, former police spokesperson Emilian Kayima was promoted from SSP to ACP, Polly Namaye was promoted from ACP to CP, and PSU commandant ACP Sarah Kibwika was promoted from ACP to CP.
