KAMPALA – The Internal Security Organisation (ISO) is set to retire 11 senior intelligence officers in one of the biggest shakeups of the intelligence agency since it was established in 1986.
The officers, who include directors, Regional Internal Security Officers and District Internal Security Officers, have been at the helm of ISO for more than 30 years. They are now awaiting their retirement packages.
The officers include Adonia Niwagaba (Director of Finance and Administration), Asuman Bwogi (Director of Internal Counter-Intelligence), Pius Alitema (Executive Assistant to Director General), Francis Mugizi (former Executive Assistant to Director General) and Joel Agaba (Director of Social Affairs). Others are Charles Oluka (former Director of Technical Intelligence), David Kiiza (acting Director of Technical Intelligence), David Rusa (Director of Special Operations), Hatega Haguma [Director of Human Resource), Dan Mugisha (Director of Popular Intelligence Network) and Jonnies Mugabirwe (Regional Internal Security Officer for Oil Region).
ISO Director General Col Frank Kaka Bagyenda is quoted by Daily Monitor as confirming the retirements but declined to divulge further details.
“Why are you interested in such a matter of all matters in this country? We are treating this as a security matter and we cannot go advertising when the officers will be retired. I cannot give you this kind of information,” he is quoted as saying.
The move is seen as an attempt by Col Bagyenda to streamline operations of the intelligence agency.
Last year, he drafted a proposal to sack all Gombolola [sub-county] Internal Security Officers (GISOs) who were not graduates, but President Museveni overruled him.
Mr Museveni said whereas it would be ideal to have degree holders as GISOs, it is untenable because some districts do not have university graduates at sub-county level to fill these positions.
“This is the ideal situation in this country, we, however, ask for the minimum qualifications depending on the location we are recruiting from. If you asked for them [university graduates] in Buvuma or Kalangala islands, for instance, you might never get a candidate…even some parts of Karamoja. So we have this plan but we cannot effect it in all places in the country,” the President reasoned.
