Uncertainty as Ochola’s contract expires

By our reporter

09^th Feb 2024

The expiry of the Inspector General of Police- IGP Martin Okoth Ochola’s contract has sparked debate at the Naguru Police headquarters on who is likely to replace him.

Ochola is serving his second term of three years ever since he replaced Gen. Edward Kale Kayihura on March 4th, 2018.

However, Ochola has reportedly not written to the Police Authority chaired by the Minister of Internal Affairs seeking renewal of his contract, yet it is supposed to be done within six months of the expiry of the reigning contract.

Sources say Ochola has informed some of the career top senior police officers that he will not be seeking renewal of his contract.

“When his first term of IGP was about to end on March 4th, 2021, he wrote to the Police Authority in November 2020 expressing interest in having his contract renewed. Gen. Jeje Odong [the then Minister for Internal Affairs] forwarded his contract renewal application to the President and it was renewed. But this time he hasn’t done it,” a senior police source said.

When contacted about reports that Ochola has informed top police officers about his retirement next month, Senior Commissioner of Police–SCP Fred Enanga, the police spokesperson said: “His contract ends on March 4th, 2024. That’s all.”

Nevertheless, sources add that Ochola has also informed his line Minister Maj. Gen. (rtd) Kahinda Otafiire that he will be retiring in a few weeks to come. However, Simon Peter Mundeyi, the Spokesperson for the Ministry of Internal Affairs said: “I have not heard about this”.

With uncertainty on whether President Yoweri Museveni will renew Ochola’s contract despite expressing no written request, debates have started on who will be his successor among the current 13 career top police officers at the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police- AIGP.

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