Enanga: The straight-faced spin master who tickled Ugandans

Bobi Wine had complained that he was being trailed and that police surveillance drones were perpetually hovering over his home in Magere, a Kampala City suburb.

But Mr Enanga was quick in response. He said what Mr Kyagulanyi referred to as surveillance drones were actually something that was lighting like a star, but not a drone. 

“I don’t know if Honourable Kyagulanyi always gets out of his house and moves around his compound. He saw something that lights like a star and thought it’s a surveillance drone.”

This statement became the peg of jokes, with many netizens on social media saying Enanga could see a fish and describe it as a goat. Such was Mr Enanga’s quick but strange distortions that both startled, tickled and sometimes annoyed in equal measure.

For this and many more such straight face distortions, Bobi Wine once referred to Mr Enanga as one who “lies with impunity”. Similarly, Maj Gen Kahinda Otafiire, the line minister, under whose Internal Affairs ministry Enanga falls, once referred to the police mouthpiece as “someone who [perpetually] lies.”

The spin master

But Mr Enanga unfazed, carried on coolly, calmly and with dedication to his burden of spokesperson.

In an undated video clip, Maj Gen Otafiire, between bouts of chuckles, in his usual jovial but biting humour once said: “Sometimes I see Enanga on television then I say Enanga is lying – looking for explanations – poor man!”

For more than five years, Mr Enanga has been the face of police communication, relaying information from the force with utmost calm, regardless of the controversy or the news he is relaying to the public, be it outright contradictory or a straight distortion.

So, to many of his consumers of police tidbits, especially on social media and in Opposition circles, Mr Enanga was the Police Force’s “liar in chief,” but also an unfailing regime spin doctor. Nevertheless, to those close to him, Mr Enanga was a dedicated, disciplined and hardworking officer who gave his all in his job.

Elevating Enanga

Mr Asan Kasingye, the retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, told Daily Monitor yesterday that he has known Mr Enanga since 2001, when he went to lecture to a cohort of Cadet Assistant Superintendents of Police at Police Training School in Kibuli, Kampala.

“I talked to them about community policing. I spent some time to find out their names and courses they did at the university. My intention was to identify one or two of them that would join me in our community policing programme. At that time, I was a Superintendent of Police and had been appointed Acting Assistant Commissioner in the Department of Community Affairs as it was called under the tenure of the new IGP, Gen Katumba Wamala,’’ Mr Kasingye said.

“SCP Enanga attended the course with the likes of late AIGP Felix Kaweesi, AIGP Moses Byaruhanga, AIGP John Nuwagira, SCP Charles Kataratambi, SCP Charles Asaba, and many others who are now in senior positions. I have seen him grow in ranks and profession ever since.”

Mr Kasingye described Mr Enanga as one of the most disciplined and committed police officers he has worked with in his 33 years of service in the Force.

“His sense of duty, commitment and zeal are phenomenal. I was one time his immediate boss. When I was appointed the Chief Political Commissar and PRO for the second time on March 21, 2017, I found a rather perplexing situation at the department of PR. Enanga, who was Commissioner of Police, was in the department without any assigned duties. An Assistant Commissioner was instead the deputy PRO, a rather strange situation.

“I summoned him to my office and after a short discussion, I assured him of my unequivocal support to his career by assigning him some of my duties and encouraged him to come to office daily since his appearance was intermittent as he remained at his home most of the time,’’ Mr Kasingye narrated.

“I was happy to see a jovial, re-energised Fred, who gave me advice on the goings on in the media since I had spent almost eight years at Interpol. His support and contribution was so immense, especially during the investigation of AIGP Kaweesi murder and the arrests that ensued, the Togikwatako protests, the mysterious women murders in Wakiso, the bijambiya [panga-wielding thuggery] in Masaka, and the Boda-Boda 2010 confusion in Kampala.”

Mr Kasingye said he remains proud of Enanga’s performance when he took over from SSP Emilian Kayima.

Calm and collected

“Fred delivered his press briefings in a calm and collected manner. His communication is one that will never leave any journalist in confusion about what was communicated. His style of delivering his address together with the other security agencies, especially the Prisons and Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control, was well-received,’’ he said.

But Mr Kasingye revealed that he would have loved to see Mr Enanga take on more public discourse about police performance, media shows, engagements with schools and higher institutions of learning and writing various articles on crime prevention, which would have been an icing on the cake of the successful career Mr Enanga has pursued.

“I wish him the best of luck in his new assignment. Having been at Interpol as a director, I am sure he will also excel there. He has a CID background, and his discipline, patience and hard work will see him excel in the international policing arena, especially working with our regional partners in the fight against cross-border crimes,’’ Mr Kasingye added.

Mr Robert Segawa, a journalist at Capital Radio, told this publication that he has worked with Mr Enanga since 2003 when he was a cadet working as Officer in Charge at CID Nateete, Kampala.

“As a journalist, I have known Mr Enanga to be a good listener, a calm and gentle person and very friendly to journalists. He is the kind who would answer questions that he has ideas about and he would also do research and get back to you on matters he had no idea about,’’ Mr Segawa said.

Daily Monitor reached out to Mr Enanga but he declined to discuss his career in the Force, citing police rules.

To speak to us, he said we would need the permission of the Inspector General of Police as he is no longer allowed to address the public without the said permission.

A source of Internet memes, Enanga’s take on most issues to do with the Force and security will be dearly missed as he heads to the rather quiet Interpol as deputy director following the new police reshuffle.

Modest Enanga

During his farewell speech last week, Mr Enanga told journalists that he is filled with a profound sense of gratitude, pride and humanity as he leaves the role of police spokesperson.

“I must admit that the position of Police Spokesperson, was one of the greatest honours of my life. Above all, I would like to thank the Almighty God, for his protection and guidance, during my tenure. And to further express my debt of gratitude to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Police Leadership, for the invaluable support, advice, great teamwork, confidence and trust that they placed in me. I have nothing but gratitude and look forward to your continuous guidance and support,’’ Mr Enanga said.

He reminded his replacement, Mr Rusoke Kituuma, of the immense responsibility and tough task ahead of him.

“I say this as I welcome you; you are a fire brain and performer, keep doing what you are doing. I also want to remind you about the immense responsibility ahead. You are taking on a tough task that requires great dedication. Always act with integrity and treat every member of the public with respect and compassion,” Mr Enanga said.

Indeed, for all his calm bearing and speaking without letting out any emotion and dedication to the Force and his nation, Mr Enanga, in 2022, was awarded a Golden Jubilee medal for his exceptional and outstanding contribution to the government during celebrations to mark Heroes Day.

About Enanga

Enanga, who hails from Apac District, joined the Police Force in 2001 as a cadet, and trained at Police Training School in Kibuli, Kampala, earning the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police.

In 2002, he was deployed as Officer in Charge of Operations in Entebbe. He then served as a detective in Ssembabule District and Lira before being transferred to the CID police headquarters in Kibuli.

Here, he gained recognition as a senior detective, notably cracking several high-profile cases, including the conviction of businessman Kato Kajubi for the ritual murder of a juvenile. From 2014 to 2016, Enanga was named Police Spokesperson, and after other assignments, he bounced back from 2019 to June 2024.

Memorable quotes

NUP tours

We are aware of their [NUP] schedule for continuing their consultative meetings, but they should know we have a duty under the Constitution to maintain peace and order. Our priority has always been to ensure Ugandans and visitors enjoy a safe and secure environment, so the suspension continues until the NUP leadership complies with police guidelines. May 20, regarding the suspension of NUP countrywide tours.

Role model

My role model is my mother. She was not highly educated but brought us up well...my mother understands my feelings more than anybody else. She knows my strengths, weaknesses, abilities and always reminds me of my principles. April 18, 2015, in an interview with this newspaper, a year after taking over as police spokesperson

Bugingo case

CID headquarters has taken over the case of Bugingo and the team is comprised of competent people that are carrying out the investigations. We have offered cash of Shs20 million to any member of the public that avails information to us on the attackers of Pastor Aloysius Bugingo. We would mostly be interested in the killer weapon. January 8, on the investigations of Pastor Aloysius Bugingo case