A source close to the NRM’s most brutal security organization, the Rapid Response Unit, has sent a secured message to this writer, to confirm reports by Baganda run online newspaper that the RRU publically executed several suspects after they surrendered.  On January 3, 2009, the Democratic Party leaning www.crestedjournal.com reported that and eyewitness told them that NRM government operatives had executed 7 unidentified individuals. Part of the Crested Journal story reads:

Seven Ugandans whose Identities have not been know yet were yesterday executed by “security agents” in open view of the general public in Kyengera about [14] Kilometers south west of Kampala. According to [an] eyewitness, travelling to Kampala from Bushenyi a civilian car was intercepted by another car and all seven occupants were taken out and executed.

“We got into a traffic snarl all the way at Buddo. We stopped for fuel at a Total Petrol station in Kyengera. As we were filling our car, we heard gunshots. We all turned to look and about fifty (50) metres from where we were, in the middle of the road, a car had blocked another car and someone was lying on the ground,” the eyewitness narrates.

He continued to tell our reporter that “as they watched gunmen -all in civilian clothes-continued to shoot inside the other car, more occupants spilled out with their hands in the air but they were all executed!”

Our source has been a member of president Museveni’s security organizations for more than 10 years. He/she has worked with David Magara, the man who issued the orders for the Kyengera execution, and other ruthless CMU, RRU and Operation Wembley veterans, including  the late Nobert Mayombo, Elly Kayanja and Leo Kyanda. Communicating with the confidence that we would never reveal his/her name, the source confirmed the essence of the Crested Journal story. He/she also rubbished the New Vision and Monitor stories, which claimed that  4 robbers died in a fire exchange. He/she said: “The New Vision story, including pictures of the policemen in the hospital are all fiction and comedy. The monitor, wants to stay open so they also took what the government stated and changed a few words.”

The source shed more light to the situation when he/she added: “Although I was not near the incident, the word in Kireka, Naguru and Kololo is that, yes, it was an execution and David Magara (see photo) ordered based on instructions from above and in consultation with David Tinyefuza. These were not robbers but anti NRM people who were trying to armed resistance. The official policy from above is to infiltrate such groups, trap them and then execute them as robbers.  And that is what happened at Kyengera. You see, the RRU was created with support from the American government. In fact, David Magara, the RRU’s commander and chief executioner got USA sponsorship, education wise and salary wise since way back in 2002. Tinyefuza, Magara and even Mzee fear that if we arrest and take these thugs to court, the USA will insist on fair trials and the anti NRM people who sponsor them from the diaspora will gain confidence.

“All I can tell you for now is that these chaps were 6 or 7. They were well known to the RRU and had been tracked for sometime because the driver, who was allowed to escape, was government informer. Yes, they had surrendered but the ‘do not take prisoners’ order had to be implemented. They had to be executed as per policy. By the way, I think most likely all of them were Baganda, probably sponsored from outside. I cannot tell you if they are after regime change or Federo or what… But police may take time to announce the names only because they need time to create new names for the dead men and properly finish the ‘official’ story.”

Following the pattern of most dictator regimes coming to an end, Museveni and his collaborators in the armed occupation of Buganda are starting to behave like grasshoppers. Getting increasing paranoid, Museveni has become ruthless in dealing with real and imagined enemies. From Betty Nambooze to Kabaka Mutebi, he is willing to be reckless in the name of survival. And like grasshoppers, the NRM top brass are now so sacred that they are starting to cannibalize each other. This is what happened in the 1970’s as Amin’s Nubians and Kakwas started to fear their own shadows.

During the last 7 days alone, three key figures in the NRM system have escaped death or been killed in what most analysts agree to be, at best, highly suspicious circumstances. The architecture of the NRM occupation of Buganda through the arbitrary decentralization system, Jaberi Bidandi Ssali, narrowly escaped death when a speeding motorcycle ran his vehicle off the road in Bunyoro. Mysteriously, the motorcycle rider and his bike both disappeared. The police commander in the area, a Munyankore named Tumusiime, insisted that although they believed that there had been an accident, they could not do anything because all the important evidence had been carefully removed. A shaken Bidandi Ssali told the local press that he was sure that some people had tried to kill him.

The same Saturday, Brian Bukenya, the son of one of Museveni’s key collaborators in the NRM occupation of Buganda, vice president Gilbert Bukenya, dies in a freak. Brian Bukenya graduated in Law from the United Kingdom before joining the Uganda occupation army (UPDF) under pressure from his father. According to sources, the vice president who is obsessed with replacing Museveni if a chance arises, wanted his son to be in the army to emulate the president’s Muhoozi Kainerugaba. Although Museveni feigned approval, a source close to state house tell us that no one in Museveni’s akazu (secret Balaalo kitchen cabinet) was amused. Key akazu figures like Salim Saleh, Jovia Saleh, Janet Kataha Museveni, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, David Tinyefuza and Sam Kuteesa all saw Bukenya’s move as a challenge. The source adds that, although it is difficult to pin down the culprits, once Brian Bukenya and his father made clear that they were bent on getting him in the Sandhurst Military Academy, his fate was sealed.

Brian Bukenya, who was reportedly born out of an adulterous relationship that Bukenya had with a friend’s wife, died when the vehicle in which he was travelling from Kabamba to Kampala overturned.  Mysteriously, the driver, who survived, told police that after the accident he became unconscious and does not know how he got from the accident scene to his sister’s house in Kibuli, an hour’s drive away. The driver, Nathan Lwanga, also insists that he was speeding because the deceased, Brian Bukenya, told him to do so.

And on Tuesday, another major contributor to the NRM armed occupation of Buganda, Maj. Gen. James Kazini died in another bizarre case. According to the Uganda occupation police force, led by Rwandese Karyekezi Kayihura, Kazini was killed by his girlfriend who struck him with an iron bar. However, Brig. Elly Kayanja one of Museveni’s most ruthless security operators insists that the story is suspect. According to our source in the Uganda’s porous security community, Kazini’s confessed killer is an ISO operative. Kayanja headed ISO about 10 years ago before he went on to form the notorious Operation Wembley.

What remains unclear is the strength of Museveni’s hand in any of the three high profile deaths of NRM diehards.  Either way, the writing appears to be on the wall. The NRM occupation army is starting to eat its own limbs, beginning with Brian Bukenya and James Kazini. And Bidandi Ssali now has a new job – watching his back. Brig. Elly Kayanja confirmed that the grasshopper syndrome has taken root when told the Uganda local press that he advises all army officers, especially senior ones, to move with their pistols on the ready.

We have learnt from highly reliable sources in  President Museveni state house apparatus that the Ugandan strongman may soon disown the brutal actions of Uganda police against Baganda youths in Kayunga.  According to an email message sent through an intermediary, the source says: “Ugandans are going to be surprised when Mr. Museveni will claim that he only learnt about the problems in Kayunga  on Tuesday or Wednesday. He also intends to attack people who claim that he has anything to do with the threatening letter that his minister Kirunda Kivejinja wrote, warning Kabaka not to go to Kayunga, in Bugerere county.”

Our source could not confirm when Mr. Museveni will make the public statements but speculated that he (Museveni) might do it when he meets MPs who come from Buganda on Thursday or Friday.  As for why Museveni plans to do this the source said: “Museveni has no choice this time. He fully understands that  he underestimated the Kabaka and Baganda on this issue of Bugerere. He also knows that he overestimated the influence that Katikkiro Walusimbi and his supporters still have on Kabaka Mutebi’s decisions. The only option he has, as a military man, is a tactical withdraw. And, based on his past behavior he may blame everything on  Kirunda and [Rwandese police commander]  Kale Kayihura.” The MPs are expected to ask Museveni to explain which his government is blocking Kabaka Mutebi from freely moving in Buganda simply because 22 people demonstrated with sigs that they don’t want him to visit without first consulting their leader, who happens to be an active member of the Uganda army.

In May 2009, the Aga Khan’s The Monitor newspaper printed a Uganda government sponsored story claiming that  Kabaka Mutebi postponed his planned  tour of Kayunga, in Bugerere county, due to fear that Banyala residents might demonstrate against him (see “Kabaka Will Visit Bugerere When Youths Are Home “).  This writer established at the time that the true reason was because Kabaka was traveling to Europe on official duties.  Due to conflict with another tour of Buvuma in July/August, the Bugerere trip was finally rescheduled to start on September 12, 2009.

Since Monday, the Uganda police, under the command of Rwandese refugee Kale Kayihura, has obstructed Baganda youth trying to prepare the site for Kabaka’s main ceremonies at Kayunga. They even fired teargas canisters into the car of  Mengo officials who had gone to Kayunga to oversee  the preparations. The Police also kidnapped Baganda youths who were erecting stalls and held them incommunicado for a day. Earlier, a Musoga minister in Museveni’s government, Kirunda Kivejinja wrote to Mmengo, warning that the Kabaka should not go to Bugerere without the agreement of one Baker Kimeze, the Museveni appointed first king “Bunyala”. Museveni created the pseudo kingdoms of Buruli and Bunyala within Buganda, in direct contradiction of his own Uganda constitution, which does not recognize ‘subkingdoms’ within Buganda.

Despite Museveni’s threats and brutal police actions, Kabaka Mutebi instructed his trusted officials like, David Mpanga, Lubega Ssegona, Betty Nabooze, Kabuuza Mukasa and several others, especially in Nkoba za Mbogo, to spearhead “Operation See You in  Kayunga”.   Through these ‘warriors” Kabaka Mutebi informed his subjects that he was determined to go to Kayunga and not allow a repeat of what happened in Buruli.  According to information from the operational command post, headed by Betty Nambooze,  tens of thousands of Baganda are expected to descend on Kayunga on Saturday, based on contacts with Gombolola and Miruka chiefs across Buganda. President Museveni’s internal security organization has informed their boss of these facts. The main reason why Museveni is backing down is because he has no confidence that his police can handle the situation if they try to stop the Baganda.

Sunday 30^th August was yet again the Annual Clans of the Baganda in the UK  Sports day which was held at McMillan Stadium at Newham Leisure Centre in East London. As usual, it was a well attended event with a range of activities to suit almost everybody from the age of 3 upwards. Competitive activities included table tennis, badminton, basket ball, omweso, draughts, football and athletics field and track. The 50 plus had no excuse not to participate as there was a walking race as well. As last year, Jomayi Property Consultants teamed up with Empapula Za Kakobe magazine to sponsor this event with contribution from Pier One Sound Systems plus the many volunteers who helped make the day run smoothly.

The essence of this sports day is to bring together the Baganda in their major building block which is the clan. It is an opportunity not only to have fun and keep fit but to fraternise with one’s clansmates, strengthen the sense of togetherness and, probably most importantly, inculcate in the young ones, even those born outside of Buganda, the fact that they have strong cultural roots which they should cherish wherever they are. It makes them aware that they are related to people they may never have met before and this sense of belonging to a wider, bigger entity which eventually makes you a Muganda and explains one’s surname and eventually who you may and may not marry is treasured.

This sports day is unique in that it involves everyone who wants to compete and amass points for their clan unlike back at home where only those selected as good enough and trained represent their clan. This makes everyone feel important for their clan.

The medals ceremony was presided over by Prince Daudi Ggolooba and Naalinnya Elizabeth Nakabiri introduced by Fred Ssemugera the Chairman of Ebika Bya Baganda E Bungereza. This was preceeded by the crowds rendering of”Ekitiibwa kya Buganda ” ( Buganda’s anthem )which was made jespecially joyful by the  under 13’s who sung it with gusto and enthusiasm. All this was after one of the highlights of the day, the tug of war which is one of the events where one sees the effort and pride contestants put in on behalf of their clans, the weaker ones often being literary dragged on the floor but still walking off with pride. The medals won, especially by the young people, were the icing on the cake. Many winners walked away proudly with wide smiles and a sense of belonging and worthiness, let alone the self esteem of achievement for self and clan.

This year, Ngabi were toppled into second place by Mmamba. Third were Lugave and Ndiga fourth. A total of twenty six clans were represented.

On July 17, 2009 the Secretary General for the Democratic Party (DP) UK and Ireland Chapter issued a press release condemning the arrest of DP presidential aspirant, Samuel Lubega, by Mr. Museveni’s government. This writer have not been able to independently confirm the arrest of Mr. Lubega. However, the arrrest, tear gasing and general harrassment of Baganda DP candidates is as routine as voting itself during Uganda election seasons.

Below is the full text of the DP UK and Ireland chapter, without editing.

DP PRESS REALESE

Date: 17 July 2009.

The repeated unlawful Arrest of Democratic Party (DP) Presidential Candidate Samuel Lubega

DP Presidential aspirant, Samuel Lubega, has today Friday 17 July, been arrested for the second time this week, along with others, but it is not clear at the moment if and what charges have been preferred against them. Constitutionally, charges must be brought against them within 48 hours from the time of arrest. The current regime in Kampala is however known not to tolerate any form of dissent and oppositionists are regularly stopped from holding peaceful meetings, arrested and prosecuted on spurious charges, such as holding illegal rallies, obstructing police in the course of their duty and disrupting business and traffic. Indeed, earlier this week, Samuel Lubega and 19 others were arrested and charged with these very offences.

Mr. Lubega and the Democratic Party Activists were arrested by armed security personnel in the constituency office of the area DP Member of Parliament Mr. Muhammad Kawuma who had organised a meeting to sensitise his constituents on the Kampala Capital City Bill. If passed into law, this bill will deny millions of Kampala residents the right to elect their own representatives.

Members of DP UK & Ireland Chapter reiterate their condemnation in the strongest terms possible the repeated unlawful and arbitrary arrest of the DP Presidential Aspirant along with others, which amounts to political persecution.

Mr. Lubega is being held at Entebbe Police Station alongside the Activists of the Democratic Party. The activists were physically tortured and manhandled by the Security Personnel.

Members of the DP UK & Ireland Chapter expect and demand that there be unrestricted and unfettered access to Samuel Lubega and the activists by their families, legal representatives and friends in accordance with the laws of Uganda as well as international law.  We urge the government to ensure that any trial is conducted in accordance with the international standards of fair trial.

Members of the DP UK & Ireland Chapter will hold President Museveni personally responsible for the well-being, safety and lives of Mr Lubega and the DP Activists while they are in detention.

Additionally, the Security Minister Hon. Amama Mbabazi, Co-ordinator of Security Services in the President’s Office General David Tinyefuza, Minister of Internal Affairs Hon. Kirunda Kiveijinja, the Inspector General of Police General Kale Kaihura and the Officer in Charge of the arresting police Station, as people sharing personal responsibility with the President for the personal safety, health and life of Samuel Lubega as well as that of the DP Activists.

Members of the DP UK & Ireland Chapter are aware of acts of poisoning and death of political prisoners during or after detention by State Security agents in Uganda and they are deeply concerned about the continued unlawful arrest and detention, intimidation, harassment and torture of Ugandans seeking to exercise their constitutional rights.

Derek Mutema

Secretary General DP UK and Ireland Chapter.

On Thursday February 26, Katikkiro JB Walusimbi stood up president Museveni of Uganda when he did not turn up for the much publicized land negotiations between Mmengo and Museveni.  According to our sources, Walusimbi could not go because key members of his cabinet overruled him. They insisted that Mmengo must not negotiate with Museveni about giving up anything to him on his proposed Land (Amendment) Bill, 2008. They argued that it would be disobedience to Kabaka Mutebi who had publicly called it a bad bill and told all Baganda to oppose it. Equally important, they insisted that while talking to Museveni was alright, it must be about full restoration of all Buganda’s property and political rights – not begging.

The problem for Walusimbi is that he had already assured Museveni that he could bring Mmengo to the table to negotiate the contentious Land (Amendment) Bill, 2008. So when the loyal Baganda ministers put their feet down he was left in a fix. And he opted to simply hide from Museveni. One source close to Museveni’s state house told us that: “Museveni is very annoyed that Walusimbi failed to turn up.  The president was made to look like a man who was promised some gold by Congolese con men and left holding a bag full of stones. He has been asking people near him, ‘What is wrong with Baganda?’ ”

It has been widely reported by the local Buganda press that Museveni and JB Walusimbi have been engaged in secret negotiations over Buganda issues since July 2008. What we can exclusively report from a highly reliable source very close to the Katikkiro is that the negotiations primarily focused on how to soften what Museveni, Walusimbi and other NRM big wigs think is Kabaka Mutebi’s excessive power today. Mr. Museveni and the Katikkiro had reportedly reached agreements the following key areas by January 28, 2009:

1. Museveni had convinced JB Walusimbi that if Kabaka Mutebi continued to accumulate so much power over Baganda it could lead to a show down where Baganda like him (Walusimbi) were going to lose lives and their businesses. And the way to control the Kabaka’s escalating influence was to remove Nambooze, Mpanga and Ssegona from CBS Radio and give the Katikkiro more control over Mmengo.
2. Walusimbi had convinced Museveni to pay off government rent arrears owed to Mmengo and authorize another 8 billion shillings to: (1) complete Bulange Plaza, (2) complete Twekobe, (3) pay some salary arrears for Bulange employees, (4) to facilitate (bribe) key Buganda officials and certain key Bataka (clan heads) for support, (5) to settle the debt that state house owed the Katikkiro’s Associated Consulting Engineers company, and (6) to buy support from Baganda peasants by giving them money through an NRM style program called Omumuli which Walusimbi designed with Gilbert Bukenya’s support.
3. The two sides had agreed that to soften Kabaka Mutebi it was important to isolate him more from the Baganda youths who are getting more dangerous, starting with the removal of Betty Nambooze from CBS. Curiously, the two sides had also agreed that the removal of Nambooze could be made simpler if it was accompanied with the firing of highly unpopular Baganda like Tamale Mirundi or Minister Kinobe or even Nsibambi.

What Museveni and Katikkiro Walusimbi could not control are the leaks about their so called secret talks over the months. For example, rumors of Museveni’s willingness to fire Tamale Mirundi or even Nsibambi to appease Baganda first surfaced in early January 2009. Apparently the many leaks helped the intended victims to plan and execute necessary counter moves.

A New York based Muganda thought leader told this reporter that it is the leakages which probably led Museveni to panic and hold that bizarre press conference on February 10, 2009. He said:  “I think that the leaks reached the intended victims at Mmengo Bulange and they fought back with rapid fire on CBS FM radio. Indeed, my contacts tell me that after getting an ISO briefing on the public response to the February 7th Mambo Baado presentation by Mpanga and Nambooze, Museveni decided to temporarily withdraw his Land (Amendment) Bill, 2008.  In effect, ISO people told him that Nambooze and Mpanga had mobilized Baganda youth to a point where public violence was inevitable if the land bill was read in parliament. In fact, in a slip of the toungue, Museveni admitted the role Nambooze and Mpanga in his panicky decision when he told the press conference:  ‘Don’t allow anyone to mislead you that we are withdrawing the bill because of the lies told by Nambooze and Mpanga on CBS radio’.”

In what some Baganda political analysts see as a veiled reference to embattled Katikkiro JB Walusimbi, the Buganda Minister of State for Research, Daudi Mpanga, and the Chairman of Kabaka’s Central Civic Education Committee (CCEC), Betty Nambooze have warned Baganda that Buganda’s enemies are trying to isolate Kabaka Mutebi from his subjects.  Mpanga and Nambooze were speaking at a one day seminar which was organized by the CCEC for the surrogate speakers (abogezi) who work at kwanjula ceremonies.

Disregarding Kabaka’s instructions, Katikkiro Walusimbi has for several months been secretly negotiating with president Museveni and vice president Bukenya on how to quieten the “Mmengo radicals” who are fighting the president’s anti-Buganda amendments to the already hated 1995 Land Act. Resurrection of the Regional Tier law and funding Walusimbi’s so called development programs to take Baganda’s attention away from land have also been discussed.

Minister Mpanga warned the people of Buganda to be more careful about the new laws being fronted by the government of Uganda because some of them have bad intensions of obliterating Buganda Kingdom. He said: “The central government has a practice introducing and promoting as beneficial to Ugandans when, in truth, they are solely designed to destroy the Buganda the Kingdom.” Mpanga added that the challenges that Buganda faces require courageous people and leaders plus strength in unity, for the kingdom to build its strength and glory.

On her part, Betty Nambooze Bakireke told the seminar participants that the CCEC is supposed to provide a communication bridge between Baganda and their true leaders so that Buganda’s enemies do not succeed at isolating Kabaka Mutebi from his subjects.

Source in both Mmengo and the vice president’s office told this reporter that patriotic Mmengo officials like Mpanga and Nambooze are very frustrated by the fact that they own leader betrays them to what in reality are enemy forces. And the frustration is made worse by the common belief in Bulange that the Katikkiro is a very intelligent man and who is probably only driven by person interests.