The Kampala riots and their aftermath

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Remember Nairobi/Kenya in early 08?
It started with a small band of people...Yeah I do not know about that Federation...these are some of the problems that need a permanent solution before the EAC...
It should be getting better now that we have leaders who are learned...but no...They whip up the masses and incite them into mayhem, be it ukabila, udini...they use the less learned fellows to do their dirty jobs and stand back to watch...when they can't bear the heat they go abroad.

We do need a new crop of leaders in Africa more so EA before we cheat ourselves that the EAC is going to be "the be all end all"
 
Dr Besigye, the leader of the largest opposition party, told journalists at a press conference in Kampala yesterday that President Museveni’s failed attempts to “arm-twist” Buganda cultural leaders, including the Kabaka, for political expediency led to the latest open confrontation.

He said President Museveni had, in 1993, rushed the restitution of Buganda Kingdom, banned by the UPC government in 1966, outside a constitutional framework and against popular will, expecting reciprocal eternal favours and appreciation from Mengo.

When that did not happen, said Dr Besigye, and the monarchy instead began to “loudly demand” for federal system of governance and return of all its properties seized by the central government, Mr Museveni was not amused.
“President Museveni failed to patronise the Buganda Kingdom leadership and resorted to underhand, illegal and coercive methods,” he said, adding: “This was the cause of the tragic events of September 10- 12.”

President Museveni’s spokesman Tamale Mirundi said Dr Besigye, like “confused” Mengo officials, was reading from the same script of political blackmail whenever they fail to achieve their interests. “Mengo officials believed that the President would sacrifice constitutionalism in order to get votes,” Mr Tamale said, “as if all Baganda votes are kept in a basket on the eve of elections, which someone ticks for only one candidate yet that is impossible.”

The 1981-1986 NRA guerrilla war that brought President Museveni to power in 1986 was mostly fought in Buganda and the Baganda, the largest ethnic group, largely voted for the President during the 1996, 2001 and 2006 elections. Mr Tamale said the ruling NRM electoral victories, secured with massive support from Buganda, was a result of “good campaigns” by Mr Museveni, not favours from Mengo officials.

Earlier, Dr Besigye said government should take responsibility for the killing of civilians during the three-day riots in and around Kampala, many of whom were apparently shot by soldiers and the Police. The latest official count shows 24 people have died of bullet wounds and dozens injured are receiving treatment at various medical facilities.

The FDC chief said the President tried but failed to compromise Kabaka Mutebi who instead opened up to opposition politicians after it became clear that government was unwilling to cede real political and economic power to the cultural institution.

In return, he said, the government froze due payments and suspended return of confiscated properties to the kingdom and the 2007 Land Act (Amendment) Bill was hurriedly crafted to mobilise Bibanja holders against Mengo.
Dr Besigye said the government simultaneously recognised Baruuli and Banyala traditional institutions and uplifted the significance of Bunyoro Kingdom, purposefully to resurrect bitter historical rivalries of the areas assimilated by Buganda during ancient conquests.

“As the arm-twisting was going on, Mr Museveni; was, from his own account, regularly checking through telephone calls as to whether the Kabaka was yielding but to his anguish, it appears that the Kabaka held his ground firmly,” he said.

President Museveni, speaking to MPs from Buganda region last week, said Kabaka Mutebi had refused, in two years, to receive his telephone calls aimed at initiating dialogue on the kingdom’s crucial issues.

“It was, therefore, a combination of the frustration and discontent within Buganda and the arrogant arm-twisting from Museveni that precipitated the violent eruptions in Kampala and other parts of Buganda,” said Dr Besigye.
The government, which had asked Mengo to call off the trip over fears that it could disrupt the peace, blames Buganda Kingdom for the riots. In his address last week, President Museveni said the kingdom had jumped in bed with the opposition and also accused it of receiving money from foreign sources to fight his government.
 
Tuesday, 15th September, 2009 E-mail article Print article
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Museveni lifts his trousers to avoid the mud as he toured the burnt out Nateete Police Station, flanked by minister Kivejinja (in a kitenge shirt)
By Milton Olupot
and Cyprian Musoke


PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has blamed the opposition for the violent riots which rocked Kampala city and some Buganda towns last week.

Addressing a special sitting of Parliament yesterday, Museveni said the chaos was orchestrated by “reactionaries who had learnt nothing from Uganda’s tragic history”.

He said the opposition was trying to use Mengo, the seat of the Buganda Kingdom, to attain what he called selfish interests.

The riots erupted on Thursday after the Government refused to allow the Kabaka to visit Kayunga, citing security reasons. The President said: “This is the third time these elements are causing chaos and killing Ugandans.”

He noted that in 2006, Dr. Kizza Besigye, who lost the presidential elections, caused chaos in which property was destroyed.
The other riots, he said, were led by Betty Anywar (FDC) over plans to give away part of Mabira Forest for a sugar project.

Museveni said the same “opportunistic elements were responsible for last week’s mayhem in which he said 15 people were killed, property destroyed and peace and business disrupted.

“Those who think Uganda is a banana republic where they can change leadership unlawfully, by rioting are wasting their time.”
He wondered why Besigye would promote riots and not lawful ways of handling grievances.

While preparing for CHOGM in 2007, the President said, the opposition tried to blackmail the Government. “They trampled on us then, but we are now here for ourselves. We do not have international obligations.”

Museveni appealed to the Judiciary to try the riot suspects quickly and suggested they should not get bail. He sent condolences to the bereaved families, to the injured and those who lost property.

Accordingly, the House observed a moment of silence for the victims.
Museveni promised to compensate people who lost motorvehicles at Nateete Police Station, which was burnt down in the rioting.
He said Kampala security was now guaranteed.

The President said rioters who attack civilians and security officers will be shot on the spot, to disable, not to kill them, which he said was allowed under the Police Act.
Museveni explained that this was necessary for the security people to defend themselves and protect civilians.

Elaborating the current standoff with Mengo, Museveni said the issue was not just about Kayunga, but whether Uganda should have political kings.

“This concept is totally rejected by the NRM,” he said. “The king is not elected and if he wields political power, how will he account if he makes mistakes? Political leaders can be voted out, what about the king?”

He said the Government would from now involve elected leaders from Buganda to quickly resolve disputes as opposed to the unelected traditional leaders.

When the riots broke out, he said, he tried to reach the Kabaka on phone in vain. “The key for all these issues is with him and we are determined to ensure that the Constitution is observed by all, kings inclusive.”

The President said traditional leaders should play roles like preventing kith and kin from inter-marrying, protecting the youth from drug abuse and homosexuality.

He said it was the reason he revived kingdoms so as to retain culture which was compatible with the modern times, “but not to revive ancient undemocratic governance.”
He said kings failed to protect the sovereignty of Africa.

“Colonisation was a vote of no confidence on them. Modern Africa must transcend tribal organisation and mentality.”

The President also said people’s legitimate interests should not be interfered with and that one’s rights must not be at the expense of other people’s and condemned intimidation and manipulation.

Museveni added that the Government would soon bring a law to guard against the use of kingdoms by agencies with illegitimate motives.

Accordingly, traditional leaders will be required to declare certain gifts in order to guard Uganda’s sovereignty from foreign interests that fund them. “Failure to do so will attract a penalty,” he said.

Museveni also gave the background on his work with the Kabaka. He said he first met Ronald Mutebi at Prof. Yusuf Lule’s house in London in 1981. They agreed to restore traditional leaders to help Africans rediscover their ancestral values, “not chauvinism”.

“This is the culture I was hoping for, not self-glorification and running around. Help people of Africa know each other more,” he said.

The Constitution, he added, allows all people to work towards national unity while safeguarding cultural diversity. “We want value addition — what value are you? If you are not, then what are you for? Just recycling prejudices?”

He also said the Government would implement the regional tier next financial year.

He said the current councillors would elect the regional leaders, to serve for the remaining one year before the general election. “We have waited for too long on that issue, we shall wait no longer.”

Museveni also explained why Buganda kingdom’s CBS radio was closed. He said it meddled in politics, spread sectarianism, lawlessness and violence with impunity, yet it is owned by a traditional institution.

He said the radio had tried to intimidate Buganda’s political class “not to think freely” by branding anyone with a different view as anti-Mengo or anti-Kabaka, yet they “claim that one cannot answer the Kabaka or the Kabaka does not err”.

This attitude, he added, led the Kabaka to take certain “anti-people” positions like opposing the Land Bill. This situation, he said, led to the 1961 problem with catastrophic results, yet there was no radio. “With radio, it could be worse.”
The President recalled that when he hosted radio station managers, he told them: “You have been weighed and found wanting.”

He said equally important matters such as unemployment, land issues, corruption and poverty needed to be addressed.

Accordingly, the President said he had appointed a special adviser on employment for the youth, and that he would secure sh30b to support the cottage industry. He said he had also called for cheap electricity, the creation of industrial estates and for food processing.

Museveni warned corrupt officials that their time had run out. “While a lot of government money has been stolen by corrupt officials, I have identified the thieves and soon you will hear of the casualties.”

When the MPs shouted Temangalo, Museveni said he defended security minister Amama Mbabazi because he believed he was not guilty.

Mbabazi, the NRM secretary general, had been accused of using his position to sell his land in Temangalo to NSSF at an inflated price.

Explaining the war on corruption, Museveni said he had appointed a judicial commission of inquiry into the education sector, and a drug theft inspection unit and would soon set up another one for the road sector.

He also directed the minister for the presidency to buy bicycles for LC1 chairpersons, adding that LC3s and gombolola chiefs were equipped with motorcycles for development.

The President appealed to Parliament to pass the Land Bill, which he said would end the tenant-landlord friction.

He also said some landlords had accepted compensation so that tenants get titles.

He called on other mailo land owners who want compensation to approach the Government.

Museveni received a standing ovation from the NRM MPs as he ended his address, while the opposition remained seated.

Speaker Edward Ssekandi had warned the MPs there would be no questions or comments at the end although the members would debate the address later.
 
Daily Monitor Reporter
Parliament

President Museveni has said that while he restored the traditional institutions, he is not responsible for the current standoff between the government and the Buganda Kingdom .

The president who was addressing a special session of parliament earlier today said that he only restored the kingdoms for ‘people who cherish monarchies’ and also expected the traditional rulers to follow the constitution instead of indulging in politics.

The Minister of trade, Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire recently blamed president Museveni for the current crisis because he pushed for the restoration of traditional leaders.


Mr Kahiinda said, “We told him [Mr Museveni] not to return these obsolete institutions and he did not listen to us. He begged, he pleaded, he went on his knees and the army grudgingly accepted to return these things and they are now paying him in good currency,” the Trade Minister told journalists.

However, Mr Museveni said the cultural leaders, whom he expected to focus on preserving cultural heritages like language were now promoting ‘chauvinism”.

“Some people like Otafiire have blamed me for begging for the return of the kingdoms. That is true. I persuaded them because many of the lower council members didn’t support the idea. I wanted to cater for the interests of Ugandans that cherish monarchies. What I don’t want is to have anybody under my care who is not happy with the common arrangement for good reason,” the president said.

He added that, “I plead not guilty to Otafiire’s charge that I am responsible for the misbehavior of the traditional institutions.”

He reiterated the need for a cultural law to regulate the cultural institutions.

In his own words:
"We need to strictly enforce the principle of separating cultural institutions from politics through enacting the cultural law."
"There is need to provide in the law that any gifts exceeding a certain magnitude should be declared to a government authority like IGG. Failure should attract penalties."

"In order to stop the kabaka and the Buganda Kingdom from meddling in politics, there should be a meeting of all leaders in the kingdom (Tabamiruka) to give contribution to the way forward."
"NRM government will implement the idea of the regional tier government next financial year without fail. We have waited for too long on this issue and we shall wait no longer"

"The standoff was not just about Kayunga or Buruli tensions, the real issue is whether we should have political kings wielding political authority. This concept is totally rejected by NRM because it is not democratic"

"I don’t care about monarchies. Ankole is thriving without a monarchy. Our view was that those who want it, let them have it as long as they follow the constitution."
"Its not the duty of kings to decide on land laws or federo. Some of the kings have been contrary to our original agreement. "

"Since Saturday, I have been trying to ring the kabaka again without success. The key for these issues is with him."

"We have got more important challenges affecting the country and we cannot be here talking about kings only"
 
Am not very conversant with the cultural insitutions in Uganda but the govt should take into consideraton the nothern part being ravaged with civil wars.
Abolition of the cultural institutions may result into political contradictions hence I think making of a federative consititution which adheres to all political institutions wielding power but with te central government holding the real power and the making of all major decisions.
This keeps other institutions with power as well as legitimacy to its people.
 
Huyu Museveni pathetic, hata kama conflict isingehusisha serikali, say ingekuwa kati ya Baganda na Acholi, rais bado yuko responsible kuhakikisha safety kwa wananchi wote.

It is irresponsible for a president to excuse himself of responsibility in this manner.
 
EAR TO THE GROUND | Charles Onyango Obbo
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Nearly every significant political chapter in Uganda’s history has been written in blood, gunshots, tear gas, whips and prison.

And so it was last week in the clashes between pro-Buganda royalists and the security forces in and around Kampala last week, that left at least 20 people dead, 100 injured, and 560 held in various prisons and hellholes.

One of the sad aspects of the violence were the threats, and in some instances attacks, on people thought to be, like President Museveni, Banyankole. There were echoes here of the attacks against the Langi after the Milton Obote 1 regime was overthrown in 1979, and on the “Anyanyas” in Kampala’s streets, when the Museveni-led National Resistance Army rebels stormed to power in January 1986.

You might say the more Uganda changes, the more it stays the same. But that would be giving up on our country, and to ignore the many “good” things about the violence of last week.

For starters, it was the one opinion poll about the feelings of most of southern Uganda towards the Museveni government that it cannot dispute. Along with this, we have been forewarned that there are people who see the Museveni government as sectarian, and so respond to it with sectarian violence. A wise government would find a solution to these grievances, as they will definitely blow up again in future.

The second, and biggest benefit, is that it was “good” for parts of the country that have been thrown back to the Stone Age by years of clashes between the Kampala government and rebels, like Acholi and Teso, to see guns being turned on Baganda royalists.

There was a tribal streak to the government’s counter-insurgency to the rebellions in these regions. Because of careless comments by government ideologues and army officers about people from these regions being “backward”, “primitive” and merely “biological substances”, not humans, these regions felt marginalised because they were from the “wrong” tribes, and those from the west and south were the “right” ones.
I have noted before that the first person that really helped shift such attitudes in the north and east, was FDC leader Kizza Besigye.

Seeing him, a westerner, being beaten, chased, arrested on trumped charges, and having his votes stolen in 2001 and 2006 did change the political narrative in Uganda. There was a dramatic fall in generalisations about “only westerners are eating” in the media, and a greater emphasis on the failings of Museveni as president, and the iniquities of his government.

The community of the oppressed is assuming a national character – northerners, easterners, westerners and southerners. So is the list of people whose free movement is restricted or who are the objectives of constant ostracism by the regime - Ken Lukyamuzi, Mao Norbert, Besigye, Kabaka Mutebi, and so on.

From the view of Buganda, the refusal by the government to let Kabaka Mutebi travel to Kayunga, part of his kingdom, is bound to focus minds in Mengo about how it can better get what it wants. And, hopefully, their conclusion will be that Buganda needs to ally itself with other forces in the country to push its claims. Moving Buganda’s demands into the political mainstream will help it have a critical conversation with itself , especially its place in the wider Uganda, and what it is willing to give and take to find happiness in it.
In that way, Buganda could again impact national politics in ways it last did in the anti-colonial movements in the 1940 and 50s, with people like I.K Musaazi. The overall effect would be a huge boost to the democracy movement in Uganda, in general.

Thirdly, it is interesting to see ordinary citizens with only stones and sticks taking on heavily armed military police and soldiers in armoured personnel carriers. Reckless, possibly even stupid. However, until lately, in Uganda, the fashionable notion about how to deal with a regime you didn’t like was to take to the bush and fight an armed rebellion, and return to Kampala triumphantly leading dashing rebels.

Over the years, we have seen that it doesn’t work because the “liberators” become as bad as the rulers they replaced. Eastern Europe and Asia have shown that the option of unarmed citizens battling the army with stones and Molotov cocktails, though it sometimes takes longer, brings more enduring change. Imagine if the clashes in and around Kampala last week featured civilians armed with AK47 rifles. The death toll would be in the thousands; and a quarter of the city would be lying in ruins.
People take to the streets and put their lives on the line because the bush and guerrilla war are no longer compelling.

Last week, Uganda seemed to have taken a step backward. But no, it actually took a giant political step forward. There will be more cracked skulls; many good people like my friend Robert Kalundi Serumaga will be grabbed in the middle of the night; but one day when Uganda is a free and peaceful country, history shall record these folks among the martyrs who made it possible.

cobbo@nation.co.ke
 
Marafiki,

Habari! I have been away for so long but out of sight is not out of mind. The last time we were debating East African Federation and I warned of the dangers of a miltarized Uganda, the difference in our political history. Events now speak louder than I could ever speak. Uganda needs to find its soul before it seeks to federate. We need space to heal before we grow. In order to get that space we have to get rid of a dictator. We need your moral support in that respect.
 
Marafiki,

Habari! I have been away for so long but out of sight is not out of mind. The last time we were debating East African Federation and I warned of the dangers of a miltarized Uganda, the difference in our political history. Events now speak louder than I could ever speak. Uganda needs to find its soul before it seeks to federate. We need space to heal before we grow. In order to get that space we have to get rid of a dictator. We need your moral support in that respect.

Anne,

Our moral support to our fellow brethren across the border is guaranteed.
Its rather obvious that M7 is a dictator with very little leadership skills
and that is why he wants to throw blame around as regards this issue.
As one poster opined earlier, as a President M7 needs to uphold the
constitution by protecting 'all Ugandans' regardless of their tribes.
Getting rid of M7 is a priority if democracy is to grow in Uganda.

Regards.
 
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