Police have praised departing Inspector General, John Martins Okoth Ochola for having helped to improve the force’s productivity.
While speaking about the handover on Monday, Fred Enanga, the Uganda Police spokesman, revealed that Ochola will be handover to his deputy, Maj Gen Geoffrey Katsigazi.
“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.
Ochola, who was appointed as Inspector General of Police in 2018 replaced his then boss, Gen Kale Kayihura and has since served for two three-year terms. And his term has been the latest term expiry on March, 4, 2024.
According to the police spokesperson, the Monday handover ceremony at the Police headquarters in Naguru was also attended by the Police Advisory Committee.
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.
A career police officer with 30 years’ experience, Ochola has risen through the police ranks to the highest office in the force.
Martin Okoth Ochola was 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 diploma. He, attained a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1983, from Makerere University. And as well has a postgraduate diploma in legal practice, from the Law Development Centre.
Ochola 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 the 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 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.
