By Aggrey Baba
[From commanding Uganda police to tending goats in Lyantonde, Gen. Kale Kayihura reflects on leadership, loyalty, and life after power in a rare and revealing interview].
When the drums fall silent, the village starts to whisper. And for a man who once commanded the loudest drums of Uganda’s security apparatus, silence has lasted over six years.
Now, Gen. Kale Kayihura, the former Inspector General of Police, has broken that silence, speaking publicly for the first time since his dismissal by President Yoweri Museveni in March 2018.
At 69, Kayihura now lives a quiet life in Katebe village, deep in the hills of Lyantonde.
From this rural retreat, far from the noise of Kampala, he reflected on his time as the country’s top police officer, the controversies that surrounded his tenure, and the inner peace he has found in retirement.
In his Q and A with Newvision, Kayihura defended his 13-year leadership of the Uganda Police Force, saying he left it “strong in terms of service delivery,” even though some officers, he admitted, may have acted unprofessionally.
The NRA bush war warrior dismissed claims of brutality, noting that while there were isolated incidents, the force had become more people-centered under his watch.
“There was a clear sense of direction,” he said. “People in uniform were active in communities. Mistakes were made, yes, but the overall goal was peace and order.”
The decorated soldier also rejected allegations that the heavy police presence in Kampala was designed to intimidate opposition leaders and stifle political dissent. “Security infrastructure in the city was essential,” he explained. “We used open facilities, and the idea was to maintain peace, not provoke fear.”
Critics had often accused the former Museveni’s blue eyed man of being more loyal to the President than to the people. But Kayihura insisted his loyalty was to Uganda.
“If I had anything to hide, I wouldn’t be here. I remained in the country, in my home, not in hiding. I was serving the nation, not personal interests.”
After years at the center of power, adjusting to a slower pace of life was not easy. But Kayihura says he has embraced the change.
“I now live simply, grazing goats and doing community work. When you’ve been part of the struggle, you learn to live with different seasons. This one is a quiet season,” he added with a smile.
He downplayed the effect of international sanctions that were imposed on him, saying they were painful but not life-ending. “Sanctions come and go, but a clear conscience remains. I’m not a perfect man, but I did my best for Uganda.”
Asked how he would like to be remembered, Kayihura grew reflective. “Statues and headlines don’t matter. If I am remembered as someone who tried his best, that is enough for me. The greatest satisfaction is from within.”
Now walking the dusty paths of Lyantonde rather than the corridors of power, the now quiet lion, whose roaring was once heard in all corners of power’s story is one of rise, fall, and quiet redemption.
As the African saying goes, “Even the tallest tree falls when the wind is strong,” but the roots often remain, and so does the story. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
