Former Internal Affairs Minister Kahinda Otafiire has issued a fresh caution to his successor, Prof Ephraim Kamuntu, urging him to take firm control of security agencies and curb alleged abuses within the system.
In a message shared on Saturday morning on X, Otafiire specifically warned against what he described as “extrajudicial killings by a few rogue officers within the Crime Intelligence Directorate,” calling for strict accountability and discipline within the force.
“Hon. Professor Kamuntu, I forgot to tell you, please don’t tolerate any form of extrajudicial killings especially by some few rogue officers in the Crime Intelligence Directorate,” Otafiire stated.
The remarks come just days after Otafiire officially handed over office on Thursday, where he delivered a candid reflection on his experience working with the Uganda Police Force, expressing frustration over what he termed as non-compliance and operational defiance by some officers.
During the handover ceremony, Otafiire said he repeatedly issued directives that were ignored by sections of the force, raising concerns about internal discipline and command structures.
“I have issues with them, the Uganda Police Force. Some of them were not listening. You tell them, ‘Don’t do this, don’t do this,’ and later you hear they have gone ahead and done exactly that,” he said.
He further revealed instances where he sought explanations over controversial operations but was allegedly met with resistance and denial of information from officers under his oversight.
“You remember, I would call them here and ask, ‘Gentlemen, what happened?’ At one point, they denied me information,” Otafiire said. “What they did not know is that I am an intelligence officer. Everything that was happening, I knew.”
The former minister’s remarks have reignited debate around accountability within Uganda’s security sector, particularly allegations of excessive force and lack of transparency in operations involving intelligence units.
His message to Kamuntu is being interpreted as both a warning and a call for institutional reform, especially at a time when public scrutiny of security conduct remains high.