The SMS we got from out agent in Mubende town,  Buwekula county, where Sabasajja Kabaka chose to celebrate Buganda’s 14th independence observance was simple but very inspiring: “Empologoma ya Buganda ebogodde buto!” (”The lion of Buganda has roared yet again!”). In his first public statements since he was forced to go to Museveni’s statehouse and then tricked into appearing to be negotiating with a commoner, Kabaka Mutebi made it very clear that the current occupation conditions in Buganda are not acceptable.  The SMS from our reporter came seconds after Ssabasajja Kabaka told the mammoth crowd at Buganda independence day ceremonies, “The 47 years of independence which we are observing today have  been wasted by senseless conflicts and governance problems. As a result of this, our development has been paralyzed. Thinking in terms of constant conflicts must stop.”

According to our reporter, the lion of Buganda went on to give as example, leaders who practice decisive politics in an effort to divide Buganda into artificial chiefdoms. Warning that, “we must not tolerate what such leaders are doing.”

In the presence of his wife, Nnabagereka Nnaginda, the Kabaka promised that his kingdom nation will never promote constant ethnic conflicts because, “we value unity and not divisions in Buganda”.

Last week Kabaka Mutebi reluctantly went to Museveni’s state house after the Ugandan warlord threatened that if Ssabasajja did not meet him, he would introduce laws to abolish kingdoms and probably arrest  His Majesty. Our sources tell us that Kabaka Mutebi was not too concerned by Museveni’s empty talk but Katikkiro Walusimbi, other old Baganda and CBS Radio shareholders convinced him that Museveni was willing to entertain most of Buganda’s demands if the Kabaka spoke to him.  Although, Museveni dressed up properly to meet Kabaka Mutebi, including putting on dress shoes and walking his painful feet straight, he broke his promise to Walusimbi within minutes after the Buganda delegation arrived. Museveni took everyone by surprise when he told them to wait he spoke to Kabaka Mutebi for some minutes. The minutes turned into a full hour, after which Museveni’s state house and Katikkiro both started spinning that the private talks between were “ground breaking”.  Nothing on the original agenda took place because of the Museveni scam (kavuyo).

Surprisingly, next day, Katikkiro Walusimbi issued a statement claiming that, the meeting between Ssabasajja and the Ugandan warlord had removed all tensions between Buganda and her NRM occupiers (see “Katikkiro JB Walusimbi Praises Gunpoint Meeting Between Kabaka and Museveni“). Then Deputy Katikkiro Ssendaula wrote to all Kabaka’s representatives outside Buganda  asking them to tell Diaspora Baganda to be “very calm” while Mmengo talks to the occupying forces. Owek. Ssendaula’s letter angered some Baganda because it seems to focus only on  “not upsetting Museveni” and says nothing about the plight of Kabaka Mutebi and many of his loyal subjects who were murdered or are under torture in the NRM governments prisons and safe houses (see “Deputy Katikkiro and Kabaka’s Representative Anger UK Baganda“).

The consensus among all the 4 Baganda analysts who we have contacted is that Kabaka Mutebi made the strong statements in Buwekula to clearly and publicly disown the appeasing, apologetic and sometimes cowardly tone of the statements which his Katikkiro and his Deputy have been making.  One analyst named David Kasozi said: “Once a Muganda radical, always a Muganda radical. And Ssabasajja joined us Baganda radicals a long time ago. We, under Kabaka Mutebi’s leadership,  are not quitting until Buganda is ruled on her own terms, probably as an independent monarchy.”

Kabaka’s representatives in North America have distributed  the following press release from Katikkiro JB Walusimbi.

PRESS RELEASE

In 2008 the Kingdom of Buganda decided to hold the annual Youth Day celebrations for 2009 in Bugerere County following the successful celebrations held in Kyaggwe County. The objective of the celebrations, which are presided over by Ssaabasajja Kabaka, is to rally the youth to engage in social and economically developmental activities as well as to promote our culture values.

The Kingdom regrets that this year’s celebrations have been unduly politicized.

The Kabaka’s visit to Bugerere is lawful and constitutional and the reasons being given for blocking the Kabaka and the Katikkiro from accessing Bugerere are completely unfounded.

The Kingdom recognizes the cultural and ethnic diversity of its peoples. This is clearly demonstrated in the composition of its Cabinet and Lukiiko. The Banyala are part of Buganda and our history and culture recognizes the Namuyonjo as their cultural leader. The Namuyonjo and the overwhelming majority of the Banyala enjoy their culture and voluntarily pledge their allegiance to Ssaabasajja Kabaka of Buganda

The county of Bugerere comprises several ethnic communities including the Bakenye, Basoga, Bagishu, Baluuli, Baganda, Japadhola, Iteso, Sudanese, Kuku. All ethnicities have been living harmoniously until the recent creation of the institution of the “Sabanyala”.

The Kingdom of Buganda deeply regrets the loss of life and destruction of property that followed the refusal of the Katikkiro to access Bugerere. In addition, the Kingdom regrets and abhors the closure of its radio station CBS FM, something that has heightened to the unnecessary chaos and tension.

The Kingdom of Buganda remains committed to fostering peace, justice and the harmonious co-existence of all of the peoples of Uganda. We remain very resolute in our peaceful and democratic quest for the realization of our legitimate aspirations for a federal system of governance for the whole of Uganda and the unconditional return of our expropriated properties.

The Kingdom reassures the public that Buganda remains a peace loving Kingdom that thrives on ethnic diversity and mutual respect and urges all people to remain law abiding. The Kingdom is and has always been willing to engage in principled, transparent and constructive dialogue with the Government and all other communities of Uganda to ensure our peaceful co-existence for the future. Such dialogue ought to be structured, time-bound, free of intimidation and based on mutual respect.

We are still engaged with Government to ensure that Ssaabasajja Kabaka attends the celebrations in Bugerere in a peaceful and secure environment.

AWANGAALE SSAABASAJJA.

ENG. J. B WALUSIMBI,

KATIKKIRO.

10^th September 2009.

Louise Edwards
Programme Officer – Access to Justice (East Africa)
Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, New Delhi

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Professor Philip Alston, presented his detailed report on Kenya at the recent 11th Session of the UN Human Rights Council.  In an extraordinary week of political maneuvering, reinforcing the internal tension that plagues Kenya’s Grand Coalition Government, the Kenyan delegation responded with an oral statement to the Council that contradicted their earlier written response. Having initially denied Professor Alston’s accusations of the widespread and systematic use of extrajudicial killings by the Kenya Police Force, the delegation conceded that there is a problem, but stopped short of acknowledging Government complicity.

The proceedings and outcomes at the 11th Session have received much local and international press.  Now, two weeks later, the focus must shift to action taken by the Kenyan Government to address the issues raised by Professor Alston and the fall out from the publication of his report, which included the killing of two human rights defenders that had previously cooperated with his mandate.  Despite the eventually positive response from the Kenyan delegation in Geneva, early signs of action are not necessarily promising.

Professor Alston’s report articulated what concerned local and international organisations have been saying about the Kenya Police Force for many years and which the Government failed to acknowledge until their oral statement to the Council – that extrajudicial killings are part of the policing landscape in Kenya. The oral statement also contained a public acknowledgement of Kenya’s weak police oversight mechanisms, the need to establish a local independent police commission and assurances that no human rights defenders would be intimidated or harassed as a result of their cooperation with the UN Special Procedures mandate-holders.

Nevertheless, it remains to be seen whether the promising outcomes in Geneva will translate into credible action in Nairobi.  Successive promises of reform articulated in a number of strategies and processes over the past 10 years have not been completed or sustained by the Kenya Government.  Kenyans continue to be policed by an organisation that lacks sufficient accountability structures, fails to protect or uphold basic human rights and is continually subject to illegitimate political interference.  Millions of dollars have been invested in the development and publication of commission reports, task force findings and reform strategies without any genuine steps by the Government to implement systemic reform.

The concerning state of policing in Kenya has received significant national and international attention over the past 18 months.  The police response to the 2007 post-election violence brought the issue of political partisanship, impunity and brutality to the fore.  The Waki Commission report into the violence strongly recommended comprehensive reform of the Kenya Police Force and Administration Police and Professor Alston’s report reinforced the brutal and corrupt practices that have been permitted to flourish by the unreformed, colonial policing model. 

Police reform is a daunting and long term process.  It requires substantial law reform, a radical shift in policing culture from one of impunity to accountability and the restoration of trust between police and the community.  None of these urgent reforms will happen in Kenya without the political and financial commitment of the Government to undertake reforms of this scope.  The recent establishment by the President of a special Police Reform Task Force represents a positive step towards delivering credible advances.  However, the Government must translate the Task Force’s recommendations into actual reform that goes beyond improving operational capacity to address governance, accountability and legal structures.  Otherwise the Task Force, for all its good intention, will become another failed reform vehicle.

Drawing on the previous recommendations and those foreshadowed to appear in the current Task Force findings, the Government should implement the following minimum reforms:

• Constitutional and legislative amendments that clearly separate the operational control of the police from the direct control from the political Executive and provide for transparency in monitoring police performance and conduct,
• Strengthening internal and external oversight mechanisms, including the enactment of legislation and budgetary allocation to give full effect to the Police Oversight Board plus the establishment of an independent complaints mechanisms,
• Establish a clear demarcation between the role of the Kenya Police Force and the Administration Police,
• Improve police human rights training and resourcing to strengthen human rights compliance and operational effectiveness in the prevention, detection and investigation of crime, and
• Establish clear legislative guidelines on the use of force, torture and adherence to basic due process that accord with Kenya’s existing obligations under international law.

If the Government is serious about reforming the police, a commitment to implementing past and current recommendations is not enough.  It must also take immediate steps that both demonstrate its firm commitment to reform and restore public confidence in the reform process.  A positive first action should be the investigation, prosecution and punishment of those police officers who commit or acquiesce to illegal acts including, but not limited to, those responsible for the 2007 post-election violence and the perpetrators of extrajudicial killings.

Other immediate steps must include measures to implement the Government’s guarantee of protection to individuals who have been intimidated or subject to retribution for their cooperation with the UN Special Procedures mandate-holders.  Human rights defenders, including members of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights have been subject to threats and some have been forced to flee Kenya.  The high profile execution of two prominent human rights defenders, who cooperated with Professor Alston, and the failure by the police and Government to identify those responsible, highlights the inadequacy of protection and security for human rights defenders.  While Kenya has a witness protection programme, reform is urgently required to ensure the integrity of its internal processes (including accountability, Executive control and information storage and sharing) before those who are most in need of protection will have confidence in the systems that are designed to deliver it. 

The 2007 post-election violence, followed by the findings in Professor Alston’s report, and the tragic consequences for human rights defenders who cooperated with his mandate, have kept the problems with Kenyan policing firmly in the international spotlight.  Whether the political will to commit to genuine reform is present in the Grand Coalition Government remains to be seen, but what is clear to the international community is that the need for police reform is more crucial than ever.

The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) is an independent, non-partisan, international NGO working for the practical realisation of human rights in the countries of the Commonwealth.
www.humanrightsinitiative.org

SAN DIEGO, (April 20, 2009) – Being one of the first is nothing new for University of San Diego graduate Judy Ann Kamanyi. In 2003, she graduated as part of the first class to receive a master’s degree in peace and justice studies. On May 2, she will be first graduate to receive the Author E. Hughes Career Achievement Award from the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies.

Kamanyi, who lives in Uganda, has worked in the public and the private sector over a period of 20 years and has been engaged in social development work at national, regional and international levels for more than a decade. She led one of the pioneer women development organizations in Uganda, Action for Development, and also headed The East African Center for Constitutional Development, a regional organization working on issues of democratic development, good governance and human rights.

“As one of the more experienced peace practitioners in the inaugural class, Judy always took the time to share her practical field experience with the other students and the professors, giving us examples and cases that illuminated our readings and helped us see the difficult choices that have to be made,” said Diana Kutlow, Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice senior program officer, who graduated with Kamanyi. “Since she left the program, she has worked with the military, police officers, development planners and women’s organizations to consolidate sustainable peace in northern Uganda and elsewhere in Africa. I couldn’t be more proud to consider her a friend and fellow alum.”

After graduating from USD, she returned to Uganda and worked closely with local and international civil society organizations, the government, and development partners, including bilateral and multilateral agencies, on poverty reduction, good governance, peace and conflict resolution and transitional justice. Kamanyi is passionate about gender equality and has interacted with movers and drivers of change in numerous regional and international conferences at which issues of human rights and gender equality have been deliberated. She is currently working as an advisor and consultant in her country.

Other Alumni Honors recipients for career achievement include L. Doug Robert, senior program manager for ITT Corporation; Sandra M. Cassell Farrell, retired marriage and family therapist; Denise M. Boren, a member of the Navy Nurse Corps;  John M. Cappetta, president, Capital Partners, LLC; Leona Makokis, president, Blue Quills First Nations College and Patricia A. Makokis, director of Research and Curriculum Development, Blue Quills First Nations College; Richard M. Bartell, president Bartell Hotels; and Heather Raffo, award-winning playwright of “9 Parts of Desire,” about the lives of women in Iraq.  Zuzana Lesenarova, 1999 NCAA women’s singles tennis champion, will be inducted into the Chet and Margeurite Pagni Athletic Hall of Fame.

USD Alumni Honors, part of the university’s 60th anniversary celebration, is a gala evening of dinner, tributes, and entertainment, honoring outstanding graduates in the areas of career and athletic achievement, contributions to humanitarian causes and volunteer service to USD.