Josephine Kakooza (8 June 1955 – 9 January 2019) was a Ugandan police officer, Police Band leader and former Commissioner of Police (CP). In December 2011 she was named the Director of Music in the Uganda Police Force making her the first woman to occupy this position. She was also a composer and played the flute.

Background and education

Kakooza was born in 1955 at Villa Maria Hospital,

Masaka Masaka is a city in the Central Region, Uganda, Buganda Region in Uganda, west of Lake Victoria. The city is the headquarters of Masaka District. Location Masaka is approximately to the south-west of Kampala on the highway to Mbarara. The ...

to a former Buganda county chief, Joseph Kakooza and Theodora Namutebi Kakooza She attended Ntinda Nursery School , Nabagereka Primary School and then St.Agnes Naggalama between 1960 and 1966. Between 1966 – 1968 she attended Trinity College, Nabbingo then later joined the

Uganda Police Force The Uganda Police Force is the national police force of Uganda Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democ ...

in 1970. In between, she attended nursing school at The Butabika Hospital Nursing School While with the Uganda Police Force, underwent went weaponry training in 1973 and did a Junior Command Course in 1997 and other several courses in and outside the country. She was also had a certificate in counseling HIV/AIDS patients obtained under The Aids Support Organisation (TASO).

Career

On 1 September 1969 she enlisted for a 3-month training with the

, and graduated as Band Woman Constable on 2 December 1969. She also underwent a two-year training at the Kibuli Police Training School and was then deployed to the Police Band under the music department. In the main force Kakooza started out as a Probation Police Constable (PPC), then was promoted to

police constable A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. ''Constable'' is commonly the rank of an police officer, officer within a police ser ...

and later

corporal Corporal is a military rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The rank is usually the lowest ranking non-commissioned officer. In some militaries, the rank of corporal nominally corr ...

in 1982, before becoming a sergeant in 1987. In 1993, she was promoted to Assistant Inspector of Police and in February 2000 became a full Police Inspector. Later on she was promoted to Assistant Superintendent of Police (2004) and then Superintendent in 2008. Four years later in 2012, she was named an Assistant Commissioner of Police(ACP) Having reached the Uganda's public service mandatory requirement age in 2013, Kakooza instead had her contract extended on grounds of exemplary service. As the

made 100 years in 2014, Kakooza was one of the officers promoted to the rank of

Commissioner of Police A police commissioner is the head of a police department, responsible for overseeing its operations and ensuring the effective enforcement of laws and maintenance of public order. They develop and implement policies, manage budgets, and coordinate ...

by President

Yoweri Museveni Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Tibuhaburwa (born 15 September 1944) is a Ugandan politician and Officer (armed forces), military officer who is the ninth and current president of Uganda since 1986. As of 2025, he is the third-List of current state lead ...

. According to her obituary from the

, she was stationed at Nsambya Police Band Unit where she served until her death in 2019

Commendations and awards

* Distinguished Service Medal of The Uganda Police Force (awarded to individuals for exceptional service) * Long Service with Good Conduct Medal of The Uganda Police Force (awarded to officers who have served for 30 and more years) * National Independence medal

Personal life

Kakooza took up farming in her later years in Mukono. She had four children. Kahooza was buried in Namumira in

Mukono District Mukono is one of the districts in the Central Region of Uganda. The town of Mukono serves as the district headquarters and is home to the district's main commercial center. Location Mukono District is bordered by Kayunga District to the nort ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kakooza, Josephine Ugandan women Ugandan police officers People from Masaka District 1955 births 2019 deaths People educated at Trinity College Nabbingo

Background and education

Career

Commendations and awards

Personal life

See also

References