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Sam Omara died at 65
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By Our Reporter
KAMPALA – Renowned former Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Sam Omara has died at the age of 65 after a long battle with prostate cancer and kidney failure. Omara passed away on Thursday morning at Mulago National Referral Hospital, where he had been receiving dialysis treatment. Omara was a prominent figure in the Uganda Police Force, notably serving as Kampala North Police Operations Commander during the 2011 "Walk-to-Work" protests led by opposition figure Dr. Kizza Besigye. His tough stance on protestors drew mixed reactions, with critics condemning what they described as heavy-handed policing.
Omara became famous following his stint with Besigye Walk-To-Work protests
Following his retirement from the force, Omara transitioned to the private sector, taking up the role of Deputy CEO and Director of Operations at Arrow Security Services, a private firm owned by Capt. Mike Mukula. It was Mukula who reportedly sought President Yoweri Museveni’s intervention to assist with Omara’s mounting medical bills, alongside support from the Uganda Police Force.
News of Omara’s death triggered an outpouring of tributes from colleagues and friends.
Retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Asan Kasingye expressed his condolences, describing Omara as “a selfless, patriotic, and hardworking officer.”
"Those who worked with him remember him as a selfless, patriotic, and hardworking officer. He loved his family and often spoke with pride about cultural interconnectivity. May his soul rest in eternal peace," Kasingye wrote.
Capt. Mike Mukula, the proprietor of Arrow Security Services, also mourned Omara’s passing.
"Arrow Security Systems LTD, with deep sorrow, announces the death of our Director of Operations and Deputy CEO Sam Omara (RIP). He passed on at Mulago Hospital at 7:00 am after a long struggle with cancer," Mukula stated. "We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, the Inspector General of Police, the Uganda Police Force, and the entire Arrow Security fraternity. Funeral arrangements will be announced later."
Omara’s name became nationally known during the 2011 protests, where his orders during crowd control operations drew widespread attention and criticism.
In November 2024, while bedridden at Mulago Hospital, Omara, through his son, made a public appeal for forgiveness from anyone he may have wronged during his policing career.
His passing marks the end of a career defined by service, controversy, and ultimately, reconciliation.
Torch Media Africa
