|
The UPDF has lost another fighter plane in the campaign against Kony's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels.
Army spokeman Major Paddy Ankunda was quoted as saying
"It's true we have lost a fighter aircraft in a test flight, one-and-a-half kilometres from Isiro airport,"
"The pilot, Bosco Opiyo, failed to recover the plane from diving and plunged into the ground, dying instantly, and the craft also caught fire. The accident is purely a technical accident."
The Uganda airforce has neither rescue nor air accident investigation capability at all, so it is not known how Major Ankunda knew without doubt that the cause was a technical problem. The airforce is a motley collection of aged Russian built aircraft.
A source in army intelligence HQRS intimated to Radio Katwe that the MiG fighter had been shot at by Joseph Kony's fighters in the Congo, but did not immediately come down; that it almost managed to make it back to base at Entebbe but crashed before landing there last evening.
Radio katwe received reports the other day that a helicopter had been shot down by a missile, but the fate of the ten personnel involved is still unknown.
Its spokemen are claiming victory, but contrary to expectations the army is keeping an extremely tight lid on information, leaving both the public and government leaders in the dark about their "successful mission". This is the second time in less than a decade, that the Ugandan army is being sent to the Congo in pursuit of armed groups hostile to the Kampala regime.
Ugandan media have been quiet on these incidents possibly due to fear of severe reprisals. When a local paper Daily Monitor reported some years ago that the UPDF had lost a military chopper in northern Uganda, it was severely attacked and temporarily shutdown by the Museveni government.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Update, Dec 25 2008 12:30 PM, Kampala
Two days ago Radio Katwe got a tip off from one of our intelligence informers that a UPDF helicopter had been shot and crashed during the operation to flush Joseph Kony and his men out of Congo.
We still haven't received confirmation about the helicopter incident.
But we have now got confirmation that the MiG-21 story is true. Ugandan journalist Frank Nyakairu reported in 2002 for the Daily Monitor that the UPDF had lost a helicopter in an attack against the LRA but the government denied it and instead Nyakairu was jailed for a week for his efforts.
We hear that Nyakairu these days works for Reuters and he contributed to the Reuters report.
Museveni decided to use his young cadres to take part in the operation against LRA not his senior commanders like the Chief of Defence Force, General Robert Aronda Nyakirima and Chief of Land forces, Lt. General Edward Katumba Wamala.
The speculation within some army circles is that Museveni could be preparing to phase out the older officers and bring in the young officers who are personally loyal to him like his son Lt. Col. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Col. Moses Rwakitarate Mukama, Brig. James Mugira, Major Johnson Namanya, and others in PGB and CMI.
Readers Comments:
25 Dec 2008
1.
Dear RK,
I must say am now addicted to this site. It is Chrismas day but I have still taken my time to visit this site, this morning.
I have also been trying to follow up on every latest info on 'mission lightening thunder' in DRC. However, am still in the dark. The government has completely sealed off their "mission" from independent reporters /media houses. So all information coming in from the frontline line is just a pre-cooked meal by govt for us to eat.
Now on the issue of another plane going into waste, I personally still doubt that. Kony, I believe cannot hit back yet. He is possibly reorganising, and believe me, it will be real disaster. As usual, this M7 army can never win any war. It is not that Ugandans are not good fighers. But the question lies in the leadership in the army and the objectives in the operation.
M7 still wants instability in Uganda to justify his stay in 2011. UPDF command in this operation is just lucklaster. To me, Muhoozi is just doing his "internship", period!
M7 himself is now confessing that Kony tapped the UPDF radio and got the communication about the airforce operation. This alone shows us that there is a problem in the army leadership. Kony is said to have left Camp Swahili many days before the attack, though the army keeps denying this. They have no idea at all where the man went! How such info gets leaked out is still wanting, given the fact its mostly Museveni and his fellow top brass Bahiima who sat and planned the operation. That is Brig Kankiriho, Rwakitarate, Muhoozi, Tinyefuza , Mugira and a rare mukiga Amama "Temangalo" among others.
In my view, as long as this mediocrity still exists in the top security circles, we are just doomed with our army. And believe me, should Kony re-enter Uganda and kill even just a single Ugandan, that will be the complete political death of NRM support in Northern Uganda. They can now openly without blinking just rely o their "black mambas" for support. As for the good will of the people, expect no mercy on this. Ugandans know that UPDF cant find Kony.
How come, a mere primary 5 dropout, who has never had any elite military training before exhibits high military skills and keeps eluding the so called Israeli, Korean, Indian, Libyan, Sandhurst and Fortleavenworth trained "commandos"? We are told the man can easily dismantle his army into small units and reorganise them with much ease. I have never heard of any friendly fire in the LRA! The mere fact that after 20 years in the bush, the LRA chief has never had any splinter group shows us that this Kony is firmly in control as a commander. He is not just a ragtag the way M7 wants us to believe. How come forces of three countries are failing to destroy a force of just 650 strong?
My messege is one: This time round, Mr. Museveni put Kony to an end. Ugandans dont want stories anymore. Last year it was only a Kaunda suit that you "arrested" in operation Iron Fist. This time, we are hearing of just guitars, jerry cans, and saucepans being "arrested". UPDF is now venting its anger on destroying food plantations instead! What a fallacy!
I thought after getting a bloody nose in Kisangani, the UPDF was now wiser. But alas. Lets just wait for more "stories"
Masaba,
Senior Quarters
Mbale
2
Merry X-Mas and Happy New Year. The end of 2008 has not been good for DRC, Southern Sudan and Uganda. Just how a small rebel group of LRA can elude the mighty armies of three countries tells us a lot: the three armies have POOR INTELLIGENCE apparatus coupled with mediocre military personnel.
Cap. Magezi can dismiss my observation but let him consult other experts on military operations and he will confirm my analysis.
Mo Tata
26 Dec 2008
3.
Hello RK, Its true that the airforce lost a mig 21 with its fighter pilot by the names Lt Bosco Opio an Iteso fm Soroti. I waited for this news to be published in NV or Monitor in vain. Sources say the plane caught fire but I wonder why the Lt din't eject. I myself, am not sure but thats what stands at the moment.
Condolences to his dear ones, his fellow MiG pilots, all workmates and his wife whom he just married like a year ago.
|