KAMPALA, Uganda — Ezekiel Emitu has been reinstated as Kampala Metropolitan Police (KMP) Commander, replacing Richard Ecega, who faced criticism over the management of crime in the city and surrounding areas.
Sources at Naguru Police Headquarters confirmed that Inspector General of Police (IGP) Abas Byakagaba appointed Emitu, currently an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), to assume leadership of KMP.
Ecega, who holds the rank of Commissioner of Police (CP), is stepping aside as part of a broader reshuffle affecting five other KMP commanders, whose identities have not yet been released.
Police spokesperson ACP Kituuma Rusoke has not officially confirmed the appointment. However, multiple sources at Naguru corroborated the development, noting that Emitu previously served as deputy to Frank Mwesigwa, who led KMP between 2016 and 2018.
At the time, Mwesigwa was a CP while Emitu was a Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP). In 2022, Mwesigwa was promoted to Senior Commissioner of Police (SCP), and Emitu advanced to ACP.
Kampala has recently experienced a surge in both isolated and organized crimes, raising concerns among residents about public safety. Incidents have occurred in homes, public spaces, and along major highways.
High-profile cases include the murder of Pamela Ruth Tumwebaze, the Uganda Christian Unity Director of Student Affairs, who was killed in her bedroom last week.
Earlier, Shivan Asasira, wife of the Bugiri District Police Commander, and Lawrence Musinguzi, a security guard at Dave Hotel and Suites in Lungujja, Rubaga Division, were hacked to death at the hotel.
The reinstatement of Emitu is expected to strengthen leadership within KMP and restore confidence in law enforcement as authorities work to curb the recent rise in crime across the capital.
