The Inspector General of Police, Abas Byakagaba, has dismissed Kampala Metropolitan Police Commander Richard Ecega, following growing public concern over violent crime in Kampala. Ecega has been replaced by Ezekiel Emitu, who previously served as head of the Police Training School in Kabalye.
The replacement of the two police officers was announced on Monday, 16th February 2026.
The dismissal of Ecega’s deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police, Gerald Twishimye, as well as the head of crime intelligence within Kampala Metropolitan Area, Senior Superintendent of Police, Ben Kasozi and Old Kampala Divisional Police Commander, Francis Liiga.
Sources at the Kampala Metropolitan Police headquarters at the Central Police Station have since confirmed the development.
The sacking comes amid rising crime within the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area.
For months, residents have complained about increasing robberies and muggings, particularly at night. More recently, however, a spike in murders and violent robberies across different parts of Kampala has heightened public anxiety over safety.
In one of the most shocking incidents, Diana Namulinde, popularly known as Diana Skyz, a TikToker, was raped and killed in Kyanja, a suburb of Kampala. A security guard was later arrested and remanded over the crime.
In a separate incident in Wakaliga, a hotel manager and a security guard were killed, and a vehicle was stolen. Police arrested one suspect, who is currently on remand.
The latest case involved the murder of Pamela Tumwebaze, the Dean of Students at Uganda Christian University (UCU). She was strangled after an assailant reportedly broke into her home in Mukono at night. Police have since arrested a former house worker as the prime suspect in the killing.
These incidents, alongside several other reported crimes over the past two months, have fueled public concern, with many residents saying criminals appear to be gaining ground in the city.
However, Police Crime Intelligence Director, AIGP Gen Christopher Ddamulira, on Monday sought to calm fears, insisting that security agencies are firmly in control of the situation.
He pointed to significant breakthroughs made in recent weeks. Between January 20 and 24, police recovered four submachine guns in the Kampala Metropolitan area and arrested nine suspects. Forensic analysis linked the weapons to at least 30 aggravated robberies.
“To us, this is a very big achievement,” Ddamulira said, adding that since the recoveries, “Kampala has not registered a single gun-related incident.”
He further revealed that suspects in custody had confessed to multiple murders, including the killing of an Officer in Charge at Ntawo.
Police said intelligence-led operations are ongoing, with hundreds of suspects arrested across divisions such as Kira, Nsangi, and Kira Road.
Gen Ddamulira added that new measures are being introduced to curb muggings at traffic lights and to expand the sub-county policing model across the country.
He acknowledged that underlying challenges such as poverty and unemployment remain key drivers of crime and require a coordinated government response.
“We will continue strengthening operations to ensure a safer environment for all Ugandans,” he said.
Whether the recent changes in top police management will restore public confidence and fully stabilize the city remains to be seen.
