Cabinet minister Gen. Kahinda Otafiire has made candid remarks about his working relationship with the Uganda Police Force, accusing some officers of insubordination and withholding information during his tenure as Minister of Internal Affairs.
Speaking during a farewell message as he exited the ministry ahead of his reassignment to the Ministry of Water and Environment, Otafiire expressed frustration over what he described as repeated disregard of directives from his office.
“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 added that at times he was forced to directly summon officers for explanations, questioning their actions and decisions in key operations.
“You remember, I would call them here and ask, ‘Gentlemen, what happened?’” he stated, suggesting there had been instances of breakdown in communication between the ministry and the police leadership.
Otafiire further alleged that he was once denied access to information he considered critical for oversight, despite his position overseeing internal security matters.
“At one point, they denied me information. What they did not know is that I am an intelligence officer. Everything that was happening, I knew,” he remarked.
The remarks shed light on longstanding tensions that have occasionally surfaced between Uganda’s political leadership and security agencies, particularly over command structure, operational independence, and accountability within the police force.
Otafiire, a veteran political and military figure, has previously served in various senior government positions and is widely regarded as one of the more outspoken voices within the cabinet.
Gen. Kahinda Otafiire now moves to the Ministry of Water and Environment, marking a shift in his portfolio after years at the center of internal security oversight.