Former criminal investigations directorate (CID) boss Elizabeth Kuteesa, has been appointed by the International Police (Interpol)

Publish Date: Jan 12, 2012

Elizabeth Kuteesa

By Steven Candia

Former criminal investigations directorate (CID) boss Elizabeth Kuteesa, has been appointed by the International Police (Interpol) to head a key department at its General Secretariat headquarters.

This makes her the first African woman to occupy the post.

Kuteesa, who rose to the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) in the Uganda Police Force, was appointed by the international police body to head Interpol’s National Central Bureau and Regional Police Services (NRPS) unit.

As head of the Unit, she will oversee the unit’s activities across four main domains: providing support and coordination for Interpol’s National Central Bureaus and coordinating the activities of its Regional Bureaus and Liaison Offices.

She will also coordinate the implementation of cooperation agreements between Interpol and regional bodies or entities, and implementing recommendations from statutory regional conferences and Interpol business plans for the regions.

Announcing the appointment of Kuteesa as Director Interpol, Secretary General Ronald K. Noble said the promotion of the former Director of the CID demonstrated the global role of African women within the international law enforcement community.

“As the world’s largest police organization with 190 member countries it is vital that INTERPOL’s staff at its General Secretariat not only reflect this diversity but also bring the relevant policing experience and expertise in order to meet the needs of our National Central Bureaus worldwide,”said Noble in a statement posted on its site.

“With global responsibility for liaising with our member countries, Elizabeth Kuteesa’s appointment is a mark both of her achievements as well as of the high calibre of staff seconded to Interpol by its member countries in Africa and other regions,” he added.

Through this appointment Interpol has once again demonstrated its ability to attract the finest policemen and policewomen committed to enhancing international police co-operation, Noble said.

Since 2007 Kuteesa has served at Interpol as Assistant Director for the Africa region, and previously held a range of positions with the Ugandan Police including Officer in Charge of the Anti-Narcotics Squad at CID Headquarters.

In 2006 Kuteesa was seconded by the Uganda government for the east African interpol job. But her tenure was marred with controversy over her scandalous handling of the Kiiza Besigye rape case.