A wide rift is developing between Kasese Woman Member of Parliament Hon Winnie Kiiza, and Inspector General of Police Gen Edward Kale Kayihura.
Despite calling her “my good friend Winnie,” the ties between the two have been gravely dented by the recent recurrence of insecurity in the Rwenzori region in which more than six people lost their lives in what was reported to be post-election conflict.
In the heat of the brawl where police shot dead residents of Kasese and Kabarole districts, whom it linked to an anti-government militia group associated with the traditional institution (Obusinga); Hon Kiiza came out and placed the entire blame on the IGP.
Kiiza reportedly accused the IGP of fanning the conflict by pitting the two rival tribal groups; the Basongora and Bankonjo, which she said was route cause of the recurrent bloodshed in the western region.
The ethnic divisions between the two communities range from land wrangles, to major disagreements on their traditional leadership. The MP claims that the Kayihura has been siding with the Basongora against the Bakonjo and the leadership of King Charles Wisely Mumbere.
Gen Kayihura when accosted with these accusations last weekend while visiting the region, he reacted angrily and vowed to the drag the legislator before courts of law.
“I am grateful that you gave me this information,” he told reporters at a press conference in Kasese town. “This is very useful; I might now have to sue Hon Kiiza for defamation.”
The General questioned the basis of the accusations, when in fact he, in his various police transfers and promotions appeared to favor Bakonjo police officers.
“How can someone accuse me of sowing seeds of ethnicity? I hardly come here. I am not an RDC or a CAO. I come when there is a problem,” fumed the IGP, terming the accusations as ridiculous.
“These politicians might be looking for scapegoats to divert attention, but they are making reckless distortions of facts. This intimidation must stop.” The IGP vowed to meeting with Hon Kiiza thereafter.
However, the Member of Parliament has stood her ground, maintaining that Gen Kayihura is not blameless in the Rwenzori conflict.
Today while appearing of the floor of Parliament, Mrs Kiiza accused the IGP of “lying to the nation,” by daubing the Kasese attackers as part of a rebel group.
She stated that the shootings last week were a result of mismanagement of the area elections and misuse of firearms by the armed forces.
“The IGP has misrepresented the situation in Kasese saying it was a militia yet it was purely Police shooting,” she told parliament. “The IGP needs to apologize for misleading Ugandans and painting the King as a person who is against the Government.”
She went on to accuse the police boss of refusing to meet with the local leadership of Kasese during visit last week and only meeting with “those who lost the election.”
On the request of Hon Kiiza, the Speaker of Parliament Hon Rebecca Kadaga instructed the Ministry of Internal Affairs to prepare a presentation before the floor on the situation in Kasese.