The director of police operations, Mr Andrew Felix Kaweesi (L), and the national chairperson of Uganda Muslim Youth Assembly, Sheikh Abasi Kiyimba, address a press conference in Kampala yesterday. PHOTO BY RACHEL MABALA
Thursday, January 08, 2015
Kampala. Muslim youth leaders yesterday disagreed with police over claims that the killings of Muslim leaders were orchestrated by the Allied Democratic Force (ADF) rebels.
During a press conference at Hotel Africana in Kampala, Sheikh Abasi Kiyimba, the national chairperson of the Uganda Muslim Youth Assembly (UMYA), accused the Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura, of acting on hearsay.
“As UMYA, we reject Kayihura’s theory of ADF killing sheikhs and prominent Muslims as mere speculations. It is very disappointing for the police chief to start engaging in hearsay over such an important matter,” Sheikh Kiyimba said.
“What we expect from police are systematic investigations, arrest of culprits, a report and prosecutions, not street talk. It is unacceptable for Gen Kayihura to attempt to dismiss the death of our leaders using such off-the-cuff remarks,” he added.
During the requiem service for Sheikh Mustafa Bahiiga at Kibuli Mosque and burial of Sheikh Abdu Kadir Muwaya in Mayuge District recently, the IGP said the killings were linked to ADF.
Sheikh Kiyimba’s address was interrupted when Mr Siraje Bakaleke, the regional police commander Kampala East, asked the Muslim leader to meet the police operations commander, Mr Andrew Kaweesi in the hotel lounge.
After a one-hour closed meeting, the two parties addressed a joint press conference but Sheikh Kiyimba maintained his stance.
He accused Gen Kayihura of mismanaging the investigations into Muslim leaders’ murders but Mr Kaweesi denied the allegations.
Shortly after the press conference, Mr Kaweesi castigated the youth chairperson for uttering “insensitive” statements that might jeopardise the on-going police investigations into the killings of the Muslim leaders.
“There is nothing like Kayihura conspiracy theory. Whatever the IGP says is the official stand of the Uganda Police and I needed to talk to him over to prevent misinformed communications,” Mr Kaweesi told Daily Monitor. “In the circumstances, the IGP made statements that police are yet to arrest suspected killers of the late Sheikh Abdu Karim Ssentamu. He called the media and retracted his words after being informed of some arrests in regard to that matter,” he added.
However in response, Mr Kiyimba said: “That is what I term as a theory, because a theory is simply a conclusive but unproven statement. It seems the IGP sometimes acts on ignorance and some of his juniors are more informed than him. You need to brief him thoroughly on many occasions on issues to talk about or leave out to avoid misinforming the public. Use your public relations office to prevent embarrassment to the police.”
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