BY IAN KATUSIIME
The arrest of Nixon Agasiirwe, former commander of the Uganda Police Special Operations Unit, has opened a trail that leads to his longtime boss, former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Gen. Kale Kayihura, placing the retired general in the crosshairs of a potential criminal investigation. Nixon was apprehended in connection with the 2015 assassination of Joan Kagezi, an Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, who was gunned down in cold blood in Kampala.
His arrest followed damning testimony from Daniel Kisseka Kiwanuka, a former UPDF soldier convicted of Kagezi’s murder, who named Nixon as the mastermind behind the attack. Kiwanuka has since been sentenced to 35 years in prison. The murder of the top prosecutor shocked the nation on a quiet evening when the news spread like wildfire through Kampala.
On that grim night, Kayihura promptly arrived on the scene minutes after the shooting, accompanied by Grace Akullo, former Director of the Criminal Investigations Directorate. This was the modus operandi of the Kayihura era – the police boss hovering over a crime scene with his top lieutenants in tow.
The arrest of Nixon, an erstwhile right-hand man of Kayihura, has unraveled what looks like a crime drama involving once-powerful senior security officials in a murder that took ten years to resolve. The development has now turned attention to Kayihura, who ran the Uganda Police Force for 12 years, exponentially growing its budget and personnel tenfold.
As police chief, Kayihura was known for his loyalty to President Museveni and his role in thwarting any direct challenge to the president’s power. At the height of Kayihura’s power, Nixon was the de facto second-in-command, coordinating operations for his boss in Kampala and beyond.
However, in a shocking revelation, Kayihura denied Nixon ever reporting to him, saying, “Nixon had never been near my office as an aide.” Kayihura also described Kagezi’s murder as “a big shock,” saying he worked closely with the late assistant DPP.
The Special Operations Unit, led by Nixon, was a well-oiled machine with several commandos, cars, and ammunition ready to swing into action at a moment’s notice. There were numerous reports about Nixon and his unit’s alleged involvement in a range of criminal activities.
Nixon’s power and influence grew under Kayihura’s mentorship, but his fortunes began to dwindle when Kayihura was relieved of his duties in 2018. Nixon was later charged with unlawful possession of ammunition and spent four years on remand at Makindye military barracks before being released on bail in 2022.
The swoop on Nixon places Kayihura squarely back in the sights of Ugandan security, given his past role as Museveni’s most trusted security aide and an army general who fought in the war that brought Museveni to power nearly 40 years ago.
Kayihura’s legacy as IGP has been marked by controversy, including allegations of brutality, unlawful arrests, torture, and police killings of protesters. He was also criticized for profiling Muslims in terrorism cases and parading suspects before the media after arrests.
Despite these criticisms, Kayihura had allies and supporters who believed in his leadership at the Uganda Police Force. However, his retirement from the UPDF in 2023 did not mark the end of his troubles, as he still faces court cases, international sanctions, and scrutiny from former subordinates.
In 2019, Kayihura was sanctioned by the US for torture against Museveni’s political opponents and banned from traveling to the country. His wife and children were also affected by the sanctions. The arrest of Nixon Agasiirwe has brought Kayihura back into the spotlight, raising questions about his potential involvement in the Kagezi murder and other alleged crimes during his tenure as IGP.
