Luke Kercan Ofungi

Luke Kercan Ofungi (March 29, 1934 – September 4, 1990) was an Inspector General in the Uganda Police Force, a successful businessman in the travel industry Uganda and a prominent member of the Alur community.

Early years and police

He was born in Padolo, Okoro, Nebbi district. He joined the E. African Orthodox School in 1951–1953 and completed junior secondary three. On October 10, 1954 he joined Police as Recruit Police Constable at Police Training School Kibuli as No. 5909 PPC. On January 1, 1957 was promoted to Corporal. Two years later, on October 1, 1959 he was promoted to Sergeant. On June 1 1960 he was promoted to Station Sergeant. On February 1, 1961 he was promoted to sub Inspector and transferred to Arua Special Branch.

On April 1, 1963 he was promoted to Inspector of Police and sent to UK for a course on September 01 1963. On October 10, 1963 he was promoted to gazetted rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police. On September 5, 1964 was transferred from Arua to Fort Portal Special Branch. He served in Toro until June 8, 1965 when he was transferred to Special Branch Headquarters Kampala.

On October 10, 1970 he was promoted to Superintendent of Police. On May 13, 1973 he was promoted to Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police. On January 1, 1974 he was appointed Commissioner of Police (Equivalent to the rank of Inspector General). Mr. Odria Gabriel replaced him.

Mr. Alli Toweli was made his Deputy. Mr. George William Luzide Mukasa appointed Director of CID and Mr. Aisu was made Director of special Branch. On August 1, 1974 he was sent on leave by President Idi Amin after defying the late dictator openly at a security meeting. Knowing that his life was in danger, Mr. Ofungi fled across the border with his family to an exile in Nairobi, Kenya.

After the fall of Amin's regime, he was on October 9, 1979, appointed Deputy Inspector General of Police to help in re-organizing the Police Force. He was later sent to Nairobi in Foreign Service. On May 15 1980 was appointed Inspector General of Police up to May 1, 1981 when he took leave under the government of late President Milton Obote.

In this time, he focussed on the tour and travel company he had set up in the 1970s and with his wife Claudia Kinobe, continued to run a popular confectionary and restaurant in Kampala famously known as Confe.

On November 1, 1985 he was again re-appointed Inspector General of Police by Tito Okello. When the new government of President Yoweri Museveni took over in January 1986, he stayed on in the role until under investigation, he was sent on leave with his two Deputies, Mr. Kyefulumya DIGP Administration and Mr. Maswere DIGP Operations. The Uganda government cleared him of what were proven to be false charges and went on to posthumously appointed him on contract effective November 1, 1989 for 24 months.

His professionalism and neutrality during a turbulent time for Uganda shines through the fact that Mr. Ofungi as the Inspector General of Police is known to have served in the same post in four regimes. He died before being resinstated to the post for the fifth time. In honour of his contributions to the building of the Police force and the country the government of Uganda accorded him a full state funeral befitting his position.Luke Ofungi (RIP) was buried in his home county of Padolo on 12th September 1990.