The Uganda Police Force has described as “blatant lies and fabrications,” reports that the law enforcement body’s boss, Gen Kale Kayihura narrowly survived assassination on Friday in the fragile Rwenzori area, chimp Corps report.
Some sections of the media reported that Kayihura had escaped an assassination attempt while conducting a security threat assessment and peace building campaign in the Rwenzori Regions.
“It is surprising that some wrong and anti-peace elements, were promoting such claims that have been recklessly picked and concocted further by selected media houses, for reasons best known to them,” said AIGP Asan Kasingye, Chairperson Inter Agency Communication Task Team.
“We do categorically state that these claims by the media are blatant lies and fabrications because no such attempt had taken place. The IGP is alive and well, and all these allegations about his safety are mere propaganda by selfish opportunists,” he added.
Highly placed sources say there was heavy shooting at Kasese police barracks near the Adventist Church yesterday.
“We saw someone shooting and running in the police barracks as he was being pursued by police. The barracks was then sealed off and vehicles diverted to other routes,” said a source.
It remains unclear if Kayihura was stationed at the Kasese barracks at the time of the gunfire.
It is also understood that security forces stormed an office belonging to the Rwenzururu Kingdom to arrest a suspect before meeting resistance from the King’s Royal Guards.
Kasingye clarified that Kayihura was in close coordination with sister security agencies, cultural and civic leaders thus tremendously contributing to curtailing further attacks, and working hard to contain the general security situation.
“During the various interventions to restore and keep peace, there were no threats directed against them. The security situation has greatly improved with increased visibility and vigilance and very soon, the region will be fully stabilized and business environment fully restored,” he assured.
Over 11 people including a policeman have so far died in the tribal clashes in Rwenzori.
Police and the army are heavily deployed in the area to hunt down militia groups terrorising civilians to restore sanity.
“We therefore, call upon all peace loving Ugandans, and in particular residents from the Rwenzori Region, to ignore such claims and keep up their dream of working together to restore peace and safety in the Rwenzori Region,” said Kasingye