Uganda ministers fear their bodyguards

KAMPALA, Uganda

In the wake of the murder of Charles Engola, the erstwhile Uganda state minister for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations, several ministers and VIPs have petitioned the Uganda Police directorate of counterterrorism to change or remove some guards attached to them.

On the other hand, some VIPs are reported to have turned down recent transfers of their guards without solid reasons. Col Engola was shot dead by one of his bodyguards Pte Wilson Sabiiti before the latter turned the gun on himself. Before shooting himself, Sabiiti is said to have complained of low pay which is also delayed.

Ordinarily, ministers and VIPs are assigned police guards from the counterterrorism unit but upon request, they are given extra guards from the UPDF, who are mostly deployed to do the tough tasks such as guarding from the lead car of working at the homes ministers. Sabiti was an army private.

The Observer could not authoritatively confirm the ministers and state ministers that have petitioned VIPPU but one is mentioned to be from the Gender ministry and another from the Agriculture ministry.

On Monday, a top police official attached to the Very Important Persons Protection unit (VIPPU) who preferred anonymity, confirmed to The Observer that they are overwhelmed by requests from ministers and some VIPs, expressing anxiety over their bodyguards. VIPPU falls under the directorate of counterterrorism.

Among the reasons given for the reshuffle are that some high-ranking officials think that the guards are not loyal to them.

“Some are asking to have particular individuals transferred from their entourage while others are seeking to have a say on who they are assigned as guards,” said the source. “There are a few of them with solid grounds but many of them are just anxious for nothing.”

Asked if the VIPPU will heed to the pleas, the source it is highly unlikely.

“We will treat every case on its merits but there is no chance for the ministers and VIPs to have a say on who they choose as guards.

Reached out for a comment, senior commissioner of police Hadijah Namutebi, the police chief political commissar, said she needed more time to verify the claims.

A state minister in the Finance ministry who interviewed by The Observer denied requesting for a change of his bodyguards but reiterated that the force needs to thoroughly evaluate the state of mind of guards before assigning them.

“After the killing of Engola, we need to have guards who are professional and loyal. They (guards) need to be fully examined physically and mentally before assigned to us,” said the minister.

Meanwhile, our VIPPU source has also confirmed that a top director at KCCA is among those that have resisted the abrupt transfer of a bodyguard.

“You came to my office to have a discussion on the withdrawal of my personal bodyguard, who has been with me for two and half years now. You advised me that according to the police standing orders, a female officer is not supposed to guard a male principal. I specifically requested you to put all this in writing, especially the breaches of the police standing orders,” reads the protest letter to police.

“You realize that personal protection is about life. I am very concerned about the sudden transfer of my guard on the basis of provisions that are not in the police standing orders and I wonder what the urgency is to move the guard without any prior notice or specific request from myself or the guard to be changed. Should you choose to proceed to withdraw the guard, I will have no choice but stay without a guard for now.”