Who killed Kirumira?
BY TAIWO FAROTIMI
Fears over insecurity increased in the East African country of Uganda after three notable men are assassinated. This is accentuated by the fact that two of them are top former security men. The latest being Mohammed Kirumira, a radical former police commander known for standing for justice. Kirumira was shot dead along with Resty Nalinya, female companion in Kampala, Ugandan capital. A report said the incident happened at the gate of his home.
They were killed by some assailants riding on motorcycle , known in local parlance as boda boda. Curiously those who killed two other victims recently also rode on motorcycles, speeding off immediately after the crime.
The first victims were former Assistant Inspector of Police Andrew Kaweesi and lawmaker Ibrahim Abiriga. Kirumira who was killed in his Toyota Corona car about 8:00 pm on Saturday was believed to have some information that may perhaps lead to the cracking of the crime that took the life of Kaweesi. The suspicion is that his assailants knowing how determined he could be about getting to the root of any matter that involved injustice decided to go for him to abort likely thorough investigation.
Mohammed came to limelight after he forcefully reversed an order blocking the media from covering a court hearing where police officers were being tried. A video of the incident shows him practically breaking human barrier formed by policemen to bar reporters from accessing the court premises.
He left the service some months ago following open disagreement with his bosses, including Inspector General of Police Kale Kayihura. In fact, Police officers had to break the door to his personal house in order to arrest him.
Kirumira was later charged to court for offences ranging from bribery, extortion and abetting crime. For instance, he was accused of arresting one Ramathan Kakooza and tortured him until he had paid sh350,000 in exchange for freedom.
The deceased said then that the charges were the same old charges he had been absolved of before he was sent on a course and promoted. He was right, one of them is a 2014 allegation that he collected sh 4.8 million from a drug suspect to free him.
As soon as he was charged to court early this year, Kirumira announced his resignation stating that “I want to leave the Police Force since it is clean and I am branded dirty. I will not accept to hold office when I am being tried.” He said then that he would formerly seek a discharge from the police after the case was dispensed with. Though Emilian Kayima, police spokesperson then claimed ignorance of the letter, Kirumira left the service. He had said that the purpose of the trial was to undermine his reputation. Last March, he was discharged of the allegations for lack of evidence. Yet the police made him lose a rank.
At a time the police was under scrutiny by the military intelligence for corruption the voice of people like Kirumira appeared to have been resented for corroborating efforts by sister security forces that corruption was endemic in the police. Kirumira was at loggerheads with his bosses, some of who he accused of offering protection to criminals. President Museveni alluded to this fact while praising Kaweesi who was gunned down together with his driver and bodyguard in March 2017.
When former inspector of police Kayihura was arrested alongside other officers for corruption last June Kirumira lauded the administration of President Yoweri Museveni. He said then that the police chief was behind a criminal gang. Hear him: “Arresting Kayihura can solve the murders and other killings. However, there are other kawukuumi (weevils) remaining within the police. I do not want to sound like I am celebrating Kayihura’s arrest.” The former IGP was arrested by the military on suspicion that he had a hand in the killing of Kaweesi, who was also police spokesman. It was suspected that the deceased knew more than would make his assailants comfortable.
Perhaps that vindicated Kirumira who had claimed that his boss ran a gang. Kirumira however, praised the new police chief appointed by Museveni. He said IGP Martins Okoth-Ochola is transparent. The new IGP and his deputy Muzeyi Sabiiti immediately embarked on several reshuffles.
Could it be that his and other assassinations had been done by those left within the service? Born on May 20, 1983, Kirumira joined the police in 2005. He had a meteoric rise because of his unconventional and bold approach to crime fighting. The fear is who is next?