Former Police chief, Gen Kale Kayihura who recently officially retired from active service of the UPDF has ruled out any chance of joining elective politics.
"I am not interested in elective politics as some people had started speculating that I was eying the Bufumbira East parliamentary seat in Kisoro District. I fear elective politics even if it is an LC1 post, I fear it. I have a lot of things to do in my retirement, especially things to do with farming," he said.
Gen Kayihura was speaking during his homecoming organized in Kisoro, his home district.
He in September retired from the UPDF after serving for 41 years since 1982 when he joined the NRA rebels shortly after completing his Master of Laws in the United Kingdom .
He would later play a crucial role in the rebel outfit that later metamorphosed into UPDF where he rose to the rank of four star general, having served in various positions in the army.
Kayihura also served as the Inspector General of Police for 13 years until 2018.
However, his troubles began when he was sacked as police chief , prompting the army to sanction charges against him.
He was arrested and charged with failure to protect war material by issuing arms to unauthorised persons including Boda Boda 2010 members led by Abdallah Kitatta between 2010 and 2018 were slapped against Kayihura.
The army also accused him of aiding and abetting the kidnapping, repatriating Rwandan exiles and refugees and Ugandan citizens to Rwanda between 2012 and 2016, charges he denied.
The army court however dropped the charges this year.
Speaking during his homecoming, Gen Kayihura dismissed as untrue, claims that he was preparing to join elective politics.
Kayihura also spoke about his troubles that saw him being arrested and detained by the army, noting that the charges were tramped up.
He however applauded President Museveni whom he said realized these were lies against him .
"I am grateful that president Museveni does not act on rumours and lies but he takes his time to investigate. By the time my issues ended, President Museveni was already aware of the truth that I had no case to answer. It is not true that I was pardoned, the fact is I had no case to answer," Gen Kayihura said.
Special comrades
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The former police chief also hailed the Kisoro LC5 chairman, Abel Bizimana, Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Wilson Mbaddi, Internal Affairs state minister, Gen David Muhoozi, Gen Andrew Gutti, Maj Gen James Mugira and Gen Sam Kavuma for standing with him during his trials and tribulations.
"Special comrades during my troubles also included the first son Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Gen Salim Saleh and his wife Jovia. These comrades were there for me then and today. Thank you all for the support and love. I have since established that love is a strong weapon for promoting unity. At the war zone, love is also demonstrated by receiving the negative forces once they surrender. Love is important for humanity. I am grateful to my family members, my wife and children for being with me in my troubles," he said.
Former Kisoro Woman MP, Rose Kabagyeni, Bufumbira East MP, Dr.James Nsaba Buturo and Kisoro LC5 chairman ,Abel Bizimana asked Gen Kayihura to join them in developing the district but also in ensuring that pledges made by the president including expansion of Kisoro air strip, tarmacking of tourism roads and the construction of John Kale Memorial Institute are fulfilled.
