In 2012, the two nations battled in a six-month border conflict. In December 2013, civil war erupted in South Sudan.
"Every day we spend here, I think of the children I met growing up without the chance of education, the chance of bettering their own lives denied through no fault of their own," Mogae told leaders. "When will independence make a difference for these people?"
The Inspector General of the Police in Uganda explains to the International Human Rights' Courts the continued detention of Dr Besigye on the Territories of Uganda.
By Charles Etukuri
Added 25th February 2016
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The European Union and USA Ambassadors in Uganda |
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The Military General Kale Kayihura, the
Inspector General of the Uganda Police.
This Police statement is to make clarifications, and inform the general public and the International Judiciary about the circumstances surrounding the continuing regulation, and close monitoring of the movements and activities of Rtd Col. Dr. Kiiza Besigye, by the Police, since Monday, 15th February 2016 todate. This is because there is continued campaign of distorted information, speculations, biased, and unfounded, as well as unfair criticism of Police actions, as well as outright lies regarding the handling of Rtd Col Dr Kizza Besigye by the Uganda Police.
First of all, we wish to state, at the very beginning that the responsibility for the actions that Police has taken involving Rtd Col Dr Kizza Besigye during, and after the campaigns lies squarely on his shoulders and that of his unruly and indisciplined supporters. Indeed, contrary to propaganda in the media, in all our actions, Police have acted lawfully, professionally, conducted ourselves with utmost restraint in the face of incredible provocation. A case in point is the violent assault by two foreign journalists on the DPC, Kasangati, who, in spite of the attacks, kept cool, and a calm demenour, and by his conduct actually disproved the unacceptable insults they were hurling at him. We are reviewing the video footage of that incident, after which appropriate action will be taken.
Let us begin with the incidents of Monday, 15th February2016, in the City, when, in the morning, at Punjani roundabout, Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye, then a Presidential candidate with a rowdy group of supporters, attempted to force his way, into the City centre, in an illegal procession, moreover on a busy business day with very heavy traffic. Since he had no scheduled programme in the City centre, traffic police redirected him and the crowd to use alternative routes to Makerere university where he had a scheduled campaign rally. He refused the guidance of the officers, and, instead, together with the rowdy crowd, (who we, later, got to learn were the infamous Power 10 (P 10) group), illegally occupied the Punjani junction, and blocked the heavy traffic on Jinja-Kampala road.
The rowdy group pelted police officers, and members of the general public with stones forcing the Police to disperse them, and, after, engaging Rtd Col Dr Kizza Besigye, in vain, including offering to escort him to Makerere university, the Police escorted him to his home. Later in the day, he returned to the City from Kasangati, gathering rowdy crowds along the way, especially the youth, who must have been the P10 group, occupied Wandegeya traffic lights junction, after failing to force their way into the City centre claiming that they were headed for Nasser road!!
The Police had cleared the passage to Makerere university under the mistaken belief that Rtd Col Dr Kizza Besigye was headed for a rally. After the Police dispersed the rowdy crowd, allowing traffic to flow, and business life to continue, Rtd Col Dr Kizza Besigye was escorted back to his home in Kasangati by the Police.
Secondly, so as to prevent further confrontation with Rtd Col Dr Kizza Besigye, who was scheduled to campaign in Nakawa Division, the Police, on the night of 15th February 2016, met and agreed with the organizers on a detailed programme of his campaign in the Division. However, even then, although, generally, the movements of Rtd Col Dr Kizza Besigye through Nakawa division, the next day, Tuesday, 16th February 2016, was peaceful and smooth, in the evening hooligans who were part of his convoy attacked NRM supporters, who were returning to their homes from the NRM rally at Kololo, tore their party t-shirts, stole their properties, and stoned vehicles in Kinawata and in the Bugolobi area. Police arrested over 50 thugs.
Thirdly, again, on Thursday, 18th February2016, Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye and a group of his supporters stormed and trespassed on security premises in Naguru, and under the supervision of Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye, a senior Police Officer was assaulted and tortured by mob action. Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye demanded to enter and search the security premises together with the violent people he had gone with. He, falsely, alleged that it was a place where “rigging” was taking place.
Obviously, this was a pretext, as he clearly knew where and how voting, counting, and tallying had taken place or was taking place, transparently, in the open, and in the presence of agents of all candidates under the management and supervision of the Electoral Commission. The false claims by Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye were clearly meant to discredit the electoral process, cause confusion, and incite and enrage the public into violence. After that incident, Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye was escorted by the Police to his house in Kasangati.
Fourthly, on Friday, 19th February 2016, we received information that Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye and other leaders of FDC intended to declare and announce results of the Presidential elections. Obviously, since this was in violation of the Constitution and the law, and would cause confusion, the Police quickly acted and prevented it from happening. It should be noted that, under Section 57 of the Presidential Election Act, it is only the Electoral Commission that has the mandate to declare results.
Section 83 of the Presidential Election Act prohibits interference with any duty under the Act (including declaring results). Indeed, to confirm our information, we found Rtd Col Dr Kizza Besigye and other leaders at the FDC Headquarters at Najjanankumbi, with journalists, preparing a Press Conference.
Morever, through social media platforms and sms messages, the FDC had made their intentions known publicly. The Police officers I sent attempted to engage with the FDC leadership in vain. They were defiant. Their supporters attempted to block Entebbe highway prompting the Police to intervene and restore public order. Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye and other FDC leaders were then arrested, briefly held, and later released. Rtd Col Kizza Besigye was, then escorted back to his home in Kasangati.
Fifthly, on Saturday, 20th February, 2016, the Electoral Commission pursuant to its constitutional and lawful mandate, declared the results of the Presidential election, and the winner of the elections. Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye’s agents absented themselves and therefore did not collect their copy of the results. Subsequently, on 21st February, 2016 Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye released two statements and addressed the press at his Kasangati home.
The first statement was to the youths, inciting them and calling on them to “take over their country”. The second statement was an announcement calling all his supporters to accompany him to offices of the Electoral Commission along Jinja road, ostensibly to pick his copy of the results and to “claim their future back”. This procession was to occur on Monday, 22th February 2016. It is now, common knowledge that any procession, like any public meeting, must be carried out in accordance with the Constitution and the law, in particular the Public Order Management Act (POMA).
He had not bothered to notify the Police as required by the law. Moreover, it should be noted that on that day, schools were beginning and parents would be taking children to school, meaning there would be more traffic in the City. The Police released a public statement calling on Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye to respect the law as well as the rights of parents and their school going children, as well as the business community, and not go ahead with his planned unlawful procession that had the potential for violence, given our earlier experiences with rowdy youth accompanying his convoy.
Nevertheless, on 22rd February 2016, Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye attempted to leave his home and lead that procession prompting the Police to hold him under preventive arrest. Again, yesterday, Tuesday, 23rd February 2016, he attempted to go ahead with his plans, but Police stopped him.
Clearly, therefore, the Police actions regarding Rtd Col Dr Kizza Besigye are justifiable both in law and in fact. We have a duty to protect the people and their property, and ensure there is law and order in this country. Moreover, the Constitution is clear that individual rights and freedoms are not absolute. Article 43 states that in enjoyment of freedoms and rights, no one should prejudice the rights and freedoms of others and public interest, (in this case, public order).
Accordingly, therefore, the regulation, and close monitoring of the movements and actions of Rtd Col Dr Kizza Besigye is within the constitutional and legal mandate of the Uganda Police, and is a consequence of his utterances and activities that amount to incitement to violence and defiance of the law.
But even then, and contrary to propaganda in the media, we wish to make the following clarifications:
• Rtd Col Kizza Besigye is not under house arrest. He is allowed unlimited access to his lawyers, family and party officials, among others, and is not in any way hindered from preparing to legally challenge the results of the Presidential Elections if he so chooses to do so.
• FDC offices have not been closed, and their activities relating to elections are ongoing. Police has not, as is claimed in the media, confiscated FDC declaration forms or done anything to interfere with the legitimate activities of FDC.
In conclusion, since Rtd Col Kizza Besigye has not retracted his statements of defiance and incitement to violence, Police shall continue to regulate and closely monitor his movements so that he does not pose danger to public peace and national security. Moreover, we have information that his planned procession is not just a procession, but rather beginning of a planned and generalized campaign of violence in the City and select municipalities across the country.
Clearly, this is supported by the public utterances of Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye. As much as possible, we shall continue to constructively engage him and other FDC leaders urging them to cooperate with us to ensure that peace, law and order are maintained in our country, and advise them to seek legal redress rather than resorting to violence in addressing whatever grievances they may have.
General Kale Kayihura
Inspector General of Police
24 February, 2016
The Police Head is acting as the legislature, the prosecutor, the judge, the crime preventer, the standard journalist, the peace maker to justify tyranny in the country of Uganda. This sorts of African behaviour once named dictator Idi Amin as an African Village Pumpkin.
The arrest and impending trial of Gen David Sejusa has potential to expose and embarrass the institution of Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF).
The UPDF has eight generals, four serving and four retired. The serving four are David Sejusa, Elly Tumwine, Edward Katumba Wamala and Kale Kayihura. Aronda Nyakairima, who was the fifth serving general, died recently.
The retired generals are Yoweri Museveni, Moses Ali, Jeje Odong and Salim Saleh. In fact, these four have all been politically-promoted in retirement. It appears no soldier will ever enjoy a rank above Museveni and his brother Salim Saleh.
It is one of those things that we have learnt to live with, like we accepted to tolerate the wife of the president to also be a minister. Saleh was dismissed from the military because of his alleged social misconduct, including alcoholism. He has, however, been retrained and promoted to the highest Ugandan rank.
Tumwine was also retired from the army, I think at the time of Saleh’s dismissal. I don’t know how he crawled back. The general court martial can only be presided over by a person of the same or a rank above the one being charged there. This means one of the remaining seven generals must be appointed chairman of the general court martial in Sejusa’s case.
The surety of a suspect before the court martial must also be of the same or a rank above. The generals must discuss again who amongst themselves should stand surety for Sejusa if he must be released.
Kayihura and Sejusa are archenemies, which disqualifies the inspector general of police. The president, by virtue of his office, is disqualified as is Katumba Wamala. And Sejusa is obviously unavailable. The only generals available to play an active role are Saleh, Odongo, Tumwine and Moses Ali.
It is also important to note that Sejusa is a permanent member of the High Command, because he is part of the historical high command. His name is inscribed in the UPDF Act. In simple terms, he is one of the managing partners of the Ugandan army. The other partners are Saleh, Museveni and Tumwine.
The late Tadeo Kanyankore, Eriya Kategaya and Fred Rwigema Gisa used to be the other partners. Around 2005, James Tumusiime (the managing director/editor at The Observer) and I were arrested and charged with promoting sectarianism for writing about Bahima generals.
It didn’t occur to me that 10 years later, these generals will be eating each other up!
The British pumped in a lot of money to rebuild and professionalize this army. For me, this money was wasted. And that is why the big man continues referring to it as his army.
That is a big dilemma for those participating in running this army. First of all, these fellows should have retired and left the military long ago. Instead, some were retrained and redeployed.
I think Saleh is a presidential advisor on defence, with an office in Bombo. Tumwine has become a permanent member of parliament representing the UPDF. With the current state of affairs in Uganda, one of the institutions that must be prepared for a possible change of government is the army. Those running it must be prepared to welcome and respect a new commander-in-chief.
Instead of preparing the army, Mr Museveni has ordered the arrest of a soldier for siding with his biggest competitor, Col Kizza Besigye. That is what makes the arrest of Sejusa even more significant. The truth is that Sejusa has for long been demanding to be retired. He even went to court over the same matter.
But before court could determine whether UPDF is holding onto him illegally, the man has been arrested. And the reason given is a political one, that he is linked to the FDC Power-10.
Power-10 is no different from party structures. Its only extra assignment is the protection of votes to ensure we have credible elections. Sejusa’s arrest should, therefore, help us as a country to reignite the debate on our military. Without a professional army, we are just wasting our little resources and time organizing elections.
And that is why Col Besigye has used every campaign opportunity to preach about a revolution. What we are engaged in is no election, but a fight to free ourselves.
Let us, therefore, express solidarity with Gen Sejusa as he undergoes this politically-instigated trial. It is not his, but our trial. A trial to free our military as well.
semugs@yahoo.com
The author is Kyadondo East FDC Member of Parliament.
Uganda's historical notes to remember:
When the transitional UNLA was being established, 1978/80, M7 wanted the Ministry of Defense to give military numbers to the Kagame and Rwegemas you mentioned herein.
But the temporary government refused on the ground that these are not bon-afide Ugandans, but Rwandese refugees registered with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
This denial infuriated M7, which is why he recruited en mass, all the youthful adult Rwandese refugees into the NRA outfit.
And when he captured power, he promoted and placed them in strategic military and security positions; and the rest is history:
Rwegyema an O Level dropout, became the Minister of State for Defense; similarly Kagame an A-level dropout, became Director of Intelligence (Basiima House), etc.
And today Gen Kayihura is the IGP, swearing by his mother that they will not handover power to the Opposition (independence to Ugandans).
In other words, If Gen Sejusa is a Ugandan and Dr. Besigye also, they have a lot to explain to Ugandans, about the atrocities the Rwandese refugees he fought and worked with in the NRA.
E.g. we are told the Mukura train wagon inferno was the handiwork of one of the Rwandese, NRA Commanders. After the incidence and outrage; he was transferred and later went to Rwanda with the RPA.
And Rwegyema commanded the 1987 massacre at Kona Kilak, which M7 in bragged about, in the Daily Nation.
While in the Greater North, they urinated and pooped in the water, cooking and Marwa pots. That is what infuriated Alice Lakwena and her Cousin, Joseph Kony.
Illiterate as they were, they could not stand, watch and endure the humiliation. Hence they picked stones, sticks and whatever they could get to fight to the death these refugees, whom Ugandans accommodated, fed and educated.
In other words the list of crime against humanity, committed by the NRA including the famous Kandoya is excruciating.
In Uganda, The National Resistance Movement and the Uganda People's Congress political parties hate each other:
6 April 2016
Edward Pojim,
You make strong points and I kind of agree with you. Our Constitution is slowly being snipped to shreds by laws and amendments that take away our rights and our freedoms. If the government attempts to usurp powers over the People, which are not granted it by the Constitution. And if that usurpation threatens our life, liberty or pursuit of happiness, I would consider an extreme response not unreasonable.
However, I don’t think there will be a full scale war in Uganda as was the case after the 1980 elections. The population is quite comfortable with the amount of control that now exists. I am not saying that some do not spout off about it; they are just not anywhere near willing to trade their lives for more freedom. Apart from a few incidents in Kasese and Kapchora, we aren’t likely to see barracks being attacked or anything like that.
That said, what’s happening in Kasese makes you wonder what UPDF soldiers are up against. The video I first saw showed a soldier shooting dead a civilian who was armed with a stone. Regardless of the justifications for such a response, I think there is a very serious moral issue here. When is it moral to begin taking the lives of others that are throwing stones at you? Was it moral in Nazi Germany to shoot members of the Gestapo? Many people would say that it was.
Please correct me if i'm wrong but I remember reading something in the UPDF Act that says that a soldier could not be ordered to fire on unarmed civilians. A soldier does not have to obey an order contrary to the Constitution (i.e, if a president declared himself a dictator and other organs of the govt went along with it, he may find he has no military .. in fact, they could, under their leaders, attack and remove him and the parliament that supported him), military laws, or the Geneva Convention.
In case of the president’s removal by force, leadership then drops to the VP, who, if he follows his boss will lose it to the Speaker of the House (just follow the list of advancements for replacing the President in required), etc.
Abbey
An engineering Section of a copy of a cheaper refinery that Uganda can try to construct so that it can sell off its oil products at its own economic pace.
Mr Tamale Mirundi
Mr Adama Barrow
This is the well armed troops of the Military Regime of President Museveni well equiped by America and Britain.
The Military Prisons of Uganda
The state also gets it very wrong when it kills those it suspects to oppose it just because the military rulers of the State of Uganda want to stay put in power for life.
It is unfortunate that despite the Uganda Military Supreme Council allowing President Amin to rule this country until he dies in 1976, it failed to happen. God bless this Acholi family.