Police Hail Katumba Appointment

By Davis Weddi and Felix Osike POLICE officers countrywide yesterday welcomed the appointment of Maj. Gen. Katumba Wamala Inspector General of Police. Some MPs on the appointments committee said Katumba was a "star performer." President Yoweri Museveni on Thursday appointed Katumba to replace John Kisembo, who has gone on leave. Most officers contacted said they were ready to work with Katumba. "It is good for a change. This man is a senior manager. There is nothing strange about him. He will pick up the procedures of Police as we go along," said Ahmed Wafuba, the Mobile Police Patrol Unit commandant. He said, "We have been working with the army, but now that it is in writing, this will boost our co-operation with the army even more." "Nobody has talked ill of him," said Mr. Ngobi, a detective at the CID headquarters. "We have no problem. We now expect to get the support we have always lacked. I can assure you the Police will be very efficient if he comes in with the logistics that have been lacking. If he gets these logistics, he will have a good time. If he is given everything, we shall work very hard," said Tororo Police chief Andrew Sorowen. Kampala Extra Regional Police Commander Benjamin Namanya said, "It is within the law. He was appointed by the Commander-in-Chief. We shall be ready to work with him at all times." "The appointment is welcome. We now hope for better things because the negotiating power for logistics is now here with us," said Edward Ochom of CID headquarters. A detective from Rukungiri said, "It is in order. I think we have been lacking command at the top. The man who was there was very weak and the rest were confused." MP Yoram Ajeani of the appointments committee said, "I don't know his background of training. But I worked with him in Arua and found him a performer and pro-people. We will interact with him before we make our final decision." He, however, said some senior officers may try to frustrate Katumba. Kisembo yesterday handed over one of his offices to the newly-appointed acting deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr. Julius Odwee. Odwee yesterday said more administrative changes would be coming to the Police headquarters. It is not clear when Katumba will take over his new office but he said he would be in office next week. Ends