Tumwine starts work

Security Minister, Gen. Elly Tumwine takes oath during the swearing in ceremony at State House Entebbe on Monday  March 12, 2018.Photo/PPU

Gen. Elly Tumwine has formally started discharging his duties as security minister after Lt. Gen. Henry Tumukunde, who has held the post for less than two years, handed over office to the four-star army general.

Tumukunde handed over office to Tumwine at a low-key function on Tuesday. The office of the security minister is located in the twin tower building which houses the offices of the vice president and prime minister in Kampala.

Last week, President Yoweri Museveni dropped Tumukunde and replaced him with Tumwine, who previously held a number of positions in Government.

Museveni also dropped Gen. Kale Kayihura, who had held the position of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for over 12 years. Kayihura has been replaced by his deputy, Martin Okoth Ochola.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the first lady Janet Museveni and the incoming security Minister Elly Tumwine together with his family members pose for a group photograph shortly after the swearing in ceremony at State House Entebbe

 
The former commander of military police, Brig. Sabiiti Muzei, is his deputy. Tumwine confirmed that he had commenced work after the handover.

"The handover took place on Tuesday. The public and the media have performed their role and we have also started performing ours. Not everything has to be done in front of the media," he added.

Tumwine served as the army commander in the early days of the National Resistance Army which was later renamed Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF). He held the position from 1984 (when NRA was still fighting to capture power) to 1987 when he was succeeded by Gen. Salim Saleh.

Tumwine also previously served as state minister for defense, director general of External Security Organization, presidential advisor and chairman of the UPDF high command appeals committee.