Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Tuesday appointed a former military head of intelligence who is blacklisted by the US over alleged contraventions of human rights to the top command of the country’s police force.
Major General Abel Kandiho was recalled from his posting as security envoy in South Sudan barely two weeks after being dropped as spymaster.
Kandiho has “been appointed to the position of the Joint Staff of the Uganda Police Force,” Ugandan military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ronald Kakurungu said in a statement.
Until last month, Kandiho was the commander of Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence and has faced accusations of abuses including beatings, sexual assault and electrocution.
The US Department of the Treasury in December last year slapped Kandiho with sanctions over alleged human rights breaches committed under his watch.
People arrested by his bureau were “subjected to horrific beatings and other egregious acts by officials, including sexual abuse and electrocutions, often resulting in significant long-term injury and even death,” it said in a statement.
The US said that Kandiho was sometimes personally involved in leading interrogations of detained individuals, including of those singled out for criticizing the government.
Security and military analyst Charles Rwomushana yesterday said that Kandiho’s appointment was testament to Museveni wanting to “have a firm grip [on] the police force.”
Kandiho would be “powerful enough” to make crucial decisions “in favor of [Museveni’s] government,” Rwomushana told reporters.
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