Kale Kayihura

General Edward Kalekezi Kayihura, commonly known as Kale Kayihura, is a Ugandan lawyer, military General, farmer and former policeman.

Kale Kayihura was born in Kisoro District, Western Uganda, on 26 December 1955.

His father died in an aeroplane crash in Kiev, Ukraine on 17 August 1960, when Kale Kayihura was only four years old.

His mother is Catherine Mukarwamo, first-born child of Nyamihana, a former chief of Nyakabande Village.

He is the son of Johnson Komuluyange Kalekezi, one of the Ugandans who fought for the African Great Lakes nation's independence, which occurred on 9 October 1962.

In 1974, Kale Kayihura was enrolled in St. Mary's College Kisubi for his Advanced Level education.

He studied Drama, History, English Literature and Economics.

He did well and was admitted to Makerere University to study for the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree.

He graduated in 1978 and proceeded to the London School of Economics from where he graduated with the degree of Master of Laws (LLM), in 1982, at age 26.

General Kayihura has attended a number of military courses including the following:

In 1982, following his graduation from the University of London, he joined the National Resistance Army, a rebel outfit that fought the regime of Milton Obote II and captured power in 1986.

He has since grown in military rank and held multiple offices in the army and public service, including the following:

He formerly served as the Inspector General of Police (IGP) of the Uganda Police Force.

He had served in that position since 2005 when he replaced General Edward Katumba Wamala as the IGP.

He was the second Ugandan military officer to serve as the chief of the Uganda Police Force, in the history of the country.

General Kayihura is still an active member of Uganda's military and was previously the Head of the country's Revenue Protection Services.

Kale Kayihura was largely perceived (amongst Uganda's political circles and a large section of the population) as working for and promoting Museveni's personal interests through squashing of Museveni's political opponents.

Nyamihana was also the father of Justice Joseph Mulenga Nyamihana, who served as President of the East African Court of Justice and died on 29 August 2012.

He went to Gasiza Primary School in Kisoro District.

He later transferred to Buhinga Primary School in Kabarole District.

He studied at Mutolere Secondary School, at Mutolere, in Kisoro District, up to Senior Four, under the care of his maternal grandmother, the late Sofia Nyamihana.

His brilliance in school caught the attention of his paternal uncle, the late Frank Gasasira, an accomplished civil servant at the time, who took over the responsibility of his education.

During the 2016 general elections, he was behind the implementation of the controversial Public Order Management Act (POMA) which largely targeted opposition politicians and their rights to assemble.

He has, in most cases appeared to be ruthless while dealing with opposition political protests.

Kayihura infamously admitted before the media that he had sanctioned the beatings of supporters of Dr. Kizza Besigye, a leading opposition figure and four-time presidential candidate in Uganda.

However, he later backtracked on his earlier statements due to public pressure and promised that the culprits (who had participated in the beatings) would face disciplinary action.

A team of private lawyers also separately filed a criminal case against Kale Kayihura and other senior commanders for their involvement in the July 2016 beatings.

Criminal summonses were issued by the magistrate court for the IGP and seven other senior officers to appear in court to answer charges of torture but none of them showed up in court.

These proceedings were later halted by the controversial Deputy Chief Justice Steven Kavuma.

He was the Inspector General of Police (IGP) of the Uganda Police Force, the highest rank in that branch of Uganda's government, from 2005 until 5 March 2018.

He was succeeded by Martin Okoth Ochola in an unexpected reshuffle.

This also saw the Minister for security Henry Tumukunde replaced.

On 13 June 2018, Kayihura was arrested on suspicion of killing police spokesman Andrew Felix Kaweesi in March 2017.

Kale Kayihura appeared at the military court in Kampala, Uganda, on 24 August 2018.

Uganda's former police chief, He was released on bail after 76 days in military custody on charges of failure to protect war materials and aiding and abetting kidnapping.

On 4 March 2018, President Yoweri Museveni elevated Martin Okoth Ochola, previously the deputy police chief, to Inspector General of Police, on the same day General Elly Tumwine replaced Lieutenant General Henry Tumukunde as Security Minister.

This followed widespread outcry from concerned citizens, regarding increased insecurity in the country, with the police cavorting with known criminal gangs.

Kidnappings-for-ransom, wanton murders and robberies, including a rash of unexplained tourist deaths; all un-solved, which left the security apparatus clue-less.

He is married to Angella Kayihura, a Kenyan of Rwandese descent.

She is the grand-niece of Rudahigwa, the last king of pre-independence Rwanda.