By our reporter
The Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura has removed the commandant of the Land Police Protection Unit (LPPU) and ordered for an overhaul of the unit.
Gen Kayihura replaced Senior Superintendent of Police Charles Mutungi, who has been the commandant of the LPPU, with Senior Commissioner Christine Nanding.
Mr Mutungi has been sent for a course at Police College at Bwebajja in Wakiso District. Ms Nanding has been the deputy director in the directorate of police legal and human rights.
Mr Martin Okoth-Ochola, the Deputy Inspector General of Police, heads a committee that is going to vet LPPU officers.
The committee comprises the directors of Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Crime Intelligence and the commandant of Professional Standards Unit.
“By copy of this message, Deputy Inspector General of Police [is] to oversee the overhaul (vetting and deployment of personnel) of the LPPU assisted by a committed composed of director of operations, director criminal investigations, director crime intelligence and commandant professional standards unit. This work should be completed in one week and an action report submitted,” Gen Kayihura message sent on Tuesday reads in part.
There are allegations that officers in the LPPU have been conniving with land grabbers to evict people in the rural areas.
In July 2009, President Museveni personally arrested a senior police officer whom he accused of evicting people at Nateete without following the law.
The LPPU was established to help resolve land wrangles in the country. But the land wrangle cases have been on the increase, which prompted President Museveni to institute an inquiry led by Justice Catherine Bamugemereire.
The Justice Bamugemereire commission that is still moving around the country has exposed several cases of land fraud, which the LPPU was established to stop.
