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By Radio Katwe news team, informers and sources
Mengo crisis deepens:
- CMI hunts for more Mengo officials
- General David Tinyefuza overseeing operations against Buganda
- Museveni fully informed of developments
The latest we can give you on the Mengo crisis in Uganda is that the dreaded Museveni terror machine Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) has started looking for more prominent Baganda connected with Mengo to harass, intimidate and arrest some of them (see 'Note From the Editor' below -Ed).
High on the list is Joyce Ssebugwawo a former minister in Kabaka Mutebi's government and vocal FDC activist. Also to be arrested is Ibrahim Nganda Semujju, a senior editor with the Weekly Observer.
Red Pepper published a list of the Baganda to be arrested in its issue today Tuesday. The full list has about 40 people. Whether CMI will arrest them now that some of their names have been published remains to be seen.
Yesterday Radio Katwe told you that the Inspector General of Police, Major General Kale Kayihura, was taken by surprise by the news of the arrests when he was in Masindi town with the Minister of Internal Affairs Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda at a police passing out parade.
State House has passed orders for the police to own the arrests which in reality were made by the CMI, so that the government is made to appear as if it follows proper institutions.
Information reaching us is that the commander of the whole operation to round up and arrest Buganda's senior officials is being commanded by the Overseer of the Intelligence Services, the notorious Gen. David Tinyefuza.
Tinyefuza has been too willing to take up the operation ordered by Museveni because he also has an axe to grind with the Baganda.
During the ongoing land bill debate some Baganda have referred to Tinyefuza as the son of a "musenze", a word Which translates roughly as an immigrant, squatter or serf.
Tinyefuza was so angry and he kept asking how Baganda could say he was the son of a musenze. One Saturday Tinyefuza was the guest on CBS's 89.9 FM show discussing the land bill. He was on phone but kept complaining that Mengo was abusing him.
Medad Lubega, one of the officials now in custody at an unknown location was in the studio and insisted there was no way Mengo officials could abuse anyone. The only thing they do is to debate the facts.
A desire to "put people in their proper place" could be the fuel powering Tinyefuza's rage. But make no mistake, Gen. Tinye is the tool but the hand holding it is none other than General Museveni, operations commander of the whole process. He gave the order to arrest the officials on Thursday, according to our sources and he has been kept informed of all developments since then.
The claims that Betty Namboze, Charles Peter Mayiga, and Medad Lubega have been working with a rebel group in eastern Congo is a total fabrication and only a diversion, like the accusations against Col. Kiiza Besigye being connected with the PRA. (We urge their families to be strong, Museveni will go any length to concoct 'evidence' to try and implicate them but fear not, it is all fiction. Just as in Dr Besigye's case, the truth will come out. So mugume!)
Meanwhile, we are still trying to piece together information we have of a CMI team that was sent to South Africa reportedly to ask the Mbeki government to cut off its arms sales to Rwanda.
Rwanda, sources are saying, has been secretly buying arms in the names of the Rwandan Ministry of Defence but which arms are secretly being smuggled and hidden in Uganda for what is supposed to be an assassination of Museveni and overthrow of his government. This is still a fluid story and we shall keep you informed as developments come in.
One of the CMI officers leading the team to South Africa is called Arnold Katwesigye. He normally handles very sensitive missions for CMI and has a direct line of access to Museveni, General Salim Saleh, and Major Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
There is chatter in security circles about this Rwanda connection but our sources in State House itself say there is silence there, possibly because it is still too sensitive.
We are also trying to find out but so far without success what Col. Dr. Emmanuel Ndahiro, the director of Rwandan intelligence, was doing in Kampala at the Serena Hotel two weeks ago.
We shall do our best to bring you updates when they come in.
Note From the Editor:
To get a perspective on what is happening to Mengo and what could be in store for Uganda at large, readers are urged to revisit and reflect on our report
Arson attacks a prelude to further Trials and Tribulations for Uganda
of 09 Jul 2008 on our front page.
Editor
The security situation for us has changed due to these developments. But we want to thank the patriot who provided a connected machine at a critical time. One day the world will know about your sacrifice, thank you.
Readers Comments:
23 Jul 2008
1.
Dear RK,
You wrote about Arnold Katwesigye as a CMI officer leading a team of officers to SA, this is not correct. Arnold is an ISO junior operative who actually is related to Amama Mbabazi and he was educated by the minister himself. He has no connections to Saleh or Museveni. If he is involved, probably he is doing it under the orders of his uncle Amama Mbabazi.
2.
Dear RK,
The ongoing saga about the land grabbing scheme has taken a new dimension with the arrest of the Mengo officials. It's clear that divergent views cannot be tolerated anymore in Uganda. For the M7 and his stooges to link them with terrorist activities shows a government that has lost the will of the people and would use any means to cling on governing by intimidation whatever the consequences might be.
We all recall when M7 said he would cause chaos if he lost the elections which is absurd for an old man who doesn't realize that the world has changed a lot that he can't cause chaos and get away with it. To remind him we have ICC in place Mr. M7 and they are aware of the child soldiers that brought you in power, the Congo genocide and atrocities in northern Uganda are to fresh in our minds to be forgotten.
To me this stage is a wake up call to you people who sold your souls and our country for five pieces of silver "5M/=" by removing the term limits. You district chairmen, religious leaders and others just kept quiet and set the dictator loose!
As for NRM MPs especially Nyombi Tembo am sorry for you, you think you are safe but you are not. You will be eaten by the revolution at the right time just like what happened to most of the historicals. I will never forget one professor who spoke to BBC after they had changed the constitution to allow M7 rule for life. He claimed the will of the people had prevailed but today he is held hostage! I wonder if he is happy with what is happening to his country. If chaos returns you guys will lose more b'se of the ill-gotten wealth you have accumulated.
For a poor country where people are infected with jiggers to buy a new presidential Jet and may be a yacht for his grand-children to sail on Lake Victoria is sad indeed.
Today it is Mengo under attack, persecution, rape, isolation because of its land but be assured tomorrow it gonna be Bunyoro for its oil and if they don't speak out loud now when your turn comes no one will be around to come to your rescue.
Lastly we need to seize the moment and campaign for the restoration of term limits if we want to bring back sanity to Uganda other wise the Kadongo's from Luwero died for nothing but M7's family and not the country. If you dispute this just tell me what Luwero has benefited since 1986 apart from dead bodies of their children dying from "friendly fire?"
Ayebare, Hoima
3.
Sir,
The overly-dramatic and high-handed manner in which the Buganda Kingdom officials were arrested makes one wonder what message the government is trying to send. Eye-witnesses must have wondered what clear and present danger a rather frail-looking Betty Nambooze posed for her car windows to be smashed in during her violent arrest! Or indeed the need to stage what amounted to a Rambo-style kidnap of Mr. Medard Lubega on the streets of Kampala. Why not simply invite the suspects to CID headquarters for the obligatory recording of statements, prior to a qiuet and civilised arrest?
Having gone over the possibilities, I am left in no doubt that government, like a typical school playground bully, is acting out of weakness, rather than strength. Bullies always make a great show of strength when confronting those that are weaker than they are. Which in itself betrays the bully's own insecurities! Was government for instance worried that about possible riots by a disbelieving public in the event of a 'normal' arrest? Is the government worried so much about its own legitimacy and the strength of its case it dare not follow due process? This is all very telling, and rather than panic in fear, Mengo and the public should read this whole saga for what it is, and think carefully about what they need to do next!
Mary M.,
Paris, France
4.
Hello RK
I am reliably informed that the latest arrest of the Mengo officials and the burning of Budo are linked.
My friends in CMI tell me that the burning of Budo and the subsequent death of 20 kids was sanctioned by the leadership of Uganda. It was done with the intent to silence Mengo.
They made it look like a terrorist attack so that when they arrest the vocal mengo ministers and accuse them of having rebel links the majority of Baganda will support the police because of what they suffered on the night mengo was burnt.
This is all part of a calculated move to destroy he kabakaship.
Museveni is angry that despite bringing back the kabaka, he has not been supported by the baganda. He fears the baganda most but also knows that they fear violence because of what obote did to them. Thats why there has been a camapign of terror around Buganda. Murders, school fires all have been in Buganda. Most Ugandans living in buganda are scared for their lives. and that is all Museveni's scheme to make them scared and then they will not do anything to you.
were you not suprised that on the day the red pepper was burnt Tinyefuza said it was ADF? The the next day, Seeta High, which is owned by a man of the Kabaka was also burnt. Thats when people started fearing there maybe there is ADF in Kampala.
ugandans like booze and hanging out, if you say there is ADF they will be scared to death as it means they are not safe with their drinking.
but its not the case. There is no ADF in Kampala, it was all part of a plot by the govermnent to intimidate. If there was a credible ADF infiltration you would hae seen increased security and army men on the streets!
Tinyefuza made that ADF statement well knowing that very soon some baganda men will be arrested and accused of rebel acitivties.
very soon the baganda officials will be accused of being behing the group starting fires which accoring to tinyefuza is the ADF.
Times are not good in Uganda and its all because Museveni wants to scare everyone ahead of his kisanja.
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