U.S. sanctions former Uganda police boss Kayihura Muhwezi

Former Uganda police boss Edward Kalekezi Kayihura Muhwezi has been sanctioned by the U.S department of State.

A statement released on Friday said Muhwezi has been linked to incidents of gross violations of human rights.

“We are targeting Uganda’s former Police Inspector General Kale Kayihura for using corruption and bribery to strengthen his political position, as units under his command committed serious human rights abuses,” said Sigal Mandelker, Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.

“The U.S. government is committed to leveraging our human rights and corruption authorities to target, disrupt, and counter those who engage in abuse and corruption around the world,” the statement from Secretary of State Michael Pompeo reads.

Apart from not being allowed to travel to the US, he will also not have access to any of his property there.

Kale Kayihura, was the Inspector-General of Police between 2005 and March 2018.

He was controversially replaced and then detained.

It is reported that he was behind clamping down of protesters and authorizing detention of political adversaries for 13 years.