Gen. Kayihura Set for Major Comeback

Former Security Minister Henry Tumukunde’s fall-out with President Yoweri Museveni could work in beleaguered former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Gen Kale Kayihura’s favour.

Well-placed sources have intimated to The Witness that Kayihura will soon have the General Court Martial discontinue his trial against charges of aiding and abetting the kidnapping by commission, repatriating Rwandan exiles and refugees and Ugandan citizens to Rwanda between 2012 and 2016 as well as failing to protect war material by issuing arms to unauthorised persons between 2010 and 2018.

This, according to our sources, is the outcome of the engagements Kayihura had with Museveni’s brother, General Caleb Akandwanaho (Salim Saleh), and son, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba which reportedly resulted into a lengthy phone conversation between the former IGP and his Commander-in-Chief a few days ago.

The engagements started as early as Museveni learnt of Gen. Tumukunde’s ambition to challenge him to the presidency at next year’s elections.

Tumukunde, currently out on bail, was arrested on March 12, 2020, and charged before the City Hall court with treason and illegal possession of guns.

The treason charge stemmed from his alleged call on Rwanda to exploit its frosty relations with Uganda, and support the cause for a change of leadership in Kampala is one of the statements that unsettled Museveni.

The statement only served to reinforce reports that Museveni had earlier received to the effect that after his sacking, Tumukunde travelled to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where he had meetings with some Kigali agents. 

This reportedly gave Museveni a change of heart especially towards Kayihura who he sacked in March 2018 after Tumukunde had authored a series of intelligence reports accusing him of advancing Kigali’s interests.

The rivalry between Kayihura and Tumukunde dates as far back as 2005 when Kayihura oversaw Tumukunde’s arrest after the latter, as army MP, opposed the lifting of the presidential term limits in the run-up to the 2005 amendment of the Constitution.

Since Tumukunde ran into trouble, Kayihura has met at least thrice with Gen. Saleh and Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

Our sources could not tell us the details of the meetings but it is understood that one of the meetings with Muhoozi was held at a Kampala hotel in March, and ran from about 8 pm to about 5 am.

A journalist who was active on social media during Tumukunde’s arrest in March is said to have been the chief architect of the Kayihura – Muhoozi meetings.

Kayihura has, sometimes, had to travel to the western town of Fort Portal where Salim Saleh is overseeing the establishment of an agro-industrial park.

“It is just a rumour that he [Kayihura] is going to be redeployed, but he is relieved, and happy that the truth [about the accusations against him] is finally coming out,” a source said.

Kayihura is scheduled to meet Museveni again tomorrow (Thursday, May 28, 2020), and it is in this meeting that a final agreement is expected to be reached.