Inspector General of Police, Martin Okoth Ochola, Monday March 4, 2024 handed over office to his deputy, Major General Geoffrey Katsigazi Tumusiime.
Ochola’s decision to leave office left many Ugandans especially social media users with many questions with most of them wondering why the man from the east handed over.
The Eye Media has established that actually Ochola’s 3-year term extension ended and discipline and the law called for him to hand over since his contract had expired.
The Deputy IGP Katsigazi to whom Ochola has handed over will serve in the acting role until the appointment of a new IGP.
Ochola was appointed as the IGP in March, 2018, to replace his then boss, Gen Kale Kayihura.
When his first three-year contract expired in March 2021, President Yoweri Museveni extended it for another three years which expired this Monday March 4, 2024.
The force will now wait for President Museveni, who is also the commander in chief of the armed forces to appoint the next Inspector General of Police.
Police spokesperson Fred Enanga said in brief statement that the handover ceremony was held at the Police headquarters in Naguru and attended by the Police Advisory Committee.
Ochola has been applauded by the force for having helped to improve their efficiency and unity.
“Mr.John Martins Okoth Ochola has led police to great success. In the past six years he has led police to higher levels of achievements with his talent and managerial skills. His tenure was marked by improved efficiency in police services and modernization of the force,” Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga said.
About Okoth Ochola
Born 1958, in Agumiti village, Mulanda sub-county, West Budama County, in Tororo District, Ochola attended Abweli Primary School, then Rock View Primary School and Kisoko Boys Primary School, where he sat his primary leaving examinations. He attended Namilyango College, where he obtained his high school.
He studied at Makerere University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1983.
The following year, he obtained a postgraduate diploma in legal practice, from the Law Development Centre.
Ochola applied and was admitted into police as a cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police in 1988 to begin a journey in the force.
He would later in February 1989 be posted at Entebbe International Airport as the officer-in-charge of Airport Security and 10 months later, he was taken to Entebbe Police Station as a new officer in charge of prosecutions.
He didn’t last long in this position and a month later he was appointed as the officer in charge of prosecutions at Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court.
In 1993, Ochola was transferred to Kampala Extra region as the staff officer for the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) but was later transferred to the police headquarters as the acting assistant commissioner of police in the legal department.
In 1996, Ochola was promoted to the rank of superintendent of police and in 1998 he was promoted to senior superintendent of police.
Ochola was in 2001, appointed as the deputy director of criminal investigations until 2008 when he was promoted to commissioner of police.
The then Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura then elevated him to the position of the director of CID but remained in acting capacity until August 2008 when he was confirmed as director.
He was promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police in 2009.
In August 2011, President Museveni appointed him the Deputy Inspector General of Police, a position he served in until 2018 when he was appointed as Inspector General of Police.
