Senior security officers graduate in strategic studies

WAKSIO - 25 senior Police and Prison officers are set to graduate with master’s degrees from Nkumba University. 

These include Commissioners of Prisons and Police, plus Senior Superintendents of Police (SSP).

The University’s 27th graduation ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, October 25, 2025, at the main campus in Nkumba, Wakiso district.

Five officers will be conferred Master's in diplomacy and global studies, while the remaining 20 will receive Master's in security and strategic studies, according to University programmes coordinator Dr. Anne Abaho.

Notable among them are Commissioners of Police: David Manzi, James Kushemererwa, Polly Namaye and Phillip Acaye. 

Others are Benedict Byamugisha and Commissioner of Prisons May Centenary.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Dr. Bosco Arop, who is also the Chief Instructor at the Police Senior Command and Staff College Bwebajja, says every year, Uganda Police sends its senior officers for further studies to Nkumba and Makerere Universities.

This arrangement aims to link theory to practice. He adds that the selected officers are sponsored by the force. 

“The courses have improved graduates’ policing abilities,” he says. And as such, the officers have shifted from reactionary to proactive in risk detection, assessment and response. There are also improvements in police-community relations and, extensively, crime prevention, terror management and as a result, improved domestic safety.
    
The first graduating class was in 2023 with five officers: ACP Moses Byabagye, SSP Brians Ampaire, ACP Gerald Twishimye, ACP Moses Otala Obbo and ACP Micheal Musani. They are all serving in different command and control positions across the country.

Next was in 2024 with 14 graduates with a Master of Arts in Security Studies and strategic studies, among them, AIGP Bamunoba Ubaldo, CP James Ruhweza and Richard Ecega. Others were SSP David Katunda and Frantile Lwamusayi, Sylvia Chelengat and Senior Superintendent of Prisons Doreen Asiimwe. 

These are in charge of directorates and departments such as political Commissariat, operations, command positions and forensics, among others.

On whether the courses are reserved for the selected uniformed citizens, Abaho says, they also take on self-sponsored officers and other Ugandans. They study on weekends.  

Graduates speak out

SSPs; Nsereko Kavuma, Adiru Daniella and Nyiramahoro Annabella agree that the courses touch new security challenges and aid the beneficiaries to deeply understand security beyond mere physical protection.

In addition, the courses are stepping stones for leadership in security and diplomatic institutions.

Commissioners of Police, David Manzi and Polly Namaye, applaud the connection with soft and hard security threats such as food, environmental and health, as well as military.

There is also a comprehensive analysis of security threats, a deeper respect for human rights and police-community relations.

On his part, CP Benedict Byamugisha implores all law enforcers to undertake these courses to make meaningful contributions to security.  He also calls for more courses that can accommodate more law enforcers.