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.”

Baganda, opposition politicians and human rights activists cried foul yesterday when Justice Wilson Kwesiga sentenced special police constable Ramathan Magara  to a 14-year prison term for killing two Baganda men. The victims were Vincent Kavuma and Gideon Makabayi. Justice Kwesiga and Magara are both Banyankore. On February 15, 2006 Magara walked to his car, pulled out an AK 47 and fired into a crowd of supporters of the FDC president, Dr Kizza Besigye, after one of them threw a stone at his car and broke the wind shield. The then presidential candidate Besigye was meeting his supporters during a visiting to Mmengo Bulange.

The charge against Magara was murder of two people when he fired into the crowd of Besigye supporters. Justice Kwesiga rejected the argument by Magara’s lawyer, McDusman Kabega, that his client shot in self-defence. The justice said that this theory was presented only as an afterthought. Also, the two court assessors (private citizens who are appointed to guide the judge) recommended that Magara be found guilty of murder, which could have fetched a death sentence.

However, many observers, especially Baganda and opposition party members in the packed court were shocked when Justice Kwesiga said that what Magara did was more like killing “in the heat of passion caused by sudden provocation”. Based on that, the judge convicted Magara man slaughter and sentenced him to 14 years in prison. Several angry protesters outside the court complained that this lenience towards people who kill Baganda could encourage government security operatives to do the same. At the time of going to press, it was not clear if Mmengo has been following the case. Occasionally, Mmengo speaks out crimes or injustices such as ritual killings as a Ugandan problem but is usually quiet when individual Baganda are mistreated by the police and judges.

In a move that could be the first indication that President Museveni of Uganda might be prepared to use physical force against the Kabaka of Buganda, on October 8, 2008, Uganda’s heavily armed anti-riot police ready with teargas stopped Kabaka Mutebi from visiting the Buluuli Ssaza (county) Headquarters in Nakasongola.  Kabaka Mutebi was scheduled to preside over the 46th Buganda Independence anniversary celebrations which this year had been planned for Buluuli County. Buluuli is one of Buganda’s 18 counties. And it is in Buluuli that, a few years ago, President Museveni created  an anti-Kabaka “new” kingdom headed by a “Sabaruli”. Museveni’s current Sabaruli is called Mwogezi Butamanya.

It is not clear when president Museveni gave the final order to stop Mutebi.  However, according to a Uganda  police source who spoke on condition that her name not be revealed, Mutebi  had to be blocked because President Museveni and his people were shocked by the huge crowds of Baganda and Baluuli which greeted Kabaka Mutebi in Kakooge and Migyera towns. And because of the unexpectedly strong extremely well received speeches which Mutebi made at Migyera. There, Mutebi warned his subjects, in a very tough tone, to keep a sharp eye on and reject those who want to create confusion and divide the people of Buganda. Telling them, “It is terrible that certain individuals are working hard to divide my people, after the impressive progress we have made towards unity.”

This reporter’s police source revealed that the possibility of stopping Kabaka Mutebi from celebrating Buganda’s independence in Buluuli has been discussed by Museveni and his men for a long time.  According to him, every passing year Mr. Museveni has been getting more frustrated that the crowds at Buganda’s October 8th independence celebrations  keep swelling and his own Uganda independence event on October 9th keeps shrinking.  That is why they agreed to help Butamanya and Mukasa Muruli, former Museveni’s minister, coach Baluuli youths to organize a fake demonstration against Mutebi’s presence in Buluuli. “Mukasa Muruli and the youths were supposed to make a lot of noise, even threaten Kabaka, to give the police a pretext to stop the ceremonies if it became necessary.“ The source identifies the key plotters to include Ruhakana Rugunda, Kale Kayihura , David Tinyefuza, Buganda, Alfred Bitwire, Magara of Rapid Response Unit and minister Freddie Ruhindi plus district chairman Wandira and  RDC Masekera.  Museveni and his state house staff have been frequent briefed consulted on strategy and key decisions.

In a statement, Mr. Museveni’s minister for security Dr Rugunda blames it all on Kabaka Mutebi. He claims that it is Katikkiro JB Walusimbi who first expressed fears about the safety of Kabaka Mutebi in Buluuli to government. Then he (Rugunda) had confirmed that the threat was real and serious and communicated it to Walusimbi. By press time, this reporter had not confirmed if Rugunda is, this time, telling the truth. The situation has been more confused by reports in a foreign owned, Uganda government censored local paper that JB Walusimbi along with Buganda Attorney General Apollo Mabuya met with Ruhakana Rugunda, Freddie Ruhindi and Kale Kayihura on Monday, where the Mmengo officials were ordered to call off Kabaka Mutebi’s trip to Buluuli.

If Walusimbi and Makubuya met Ruhakana and Kayihura as reported, it is clear that their meeting was made irrelevant by Mutebi when he bravery decided to drive to Buluuli, in a convey of 40 motor vehicles, some carrying mattresses and other presents for his impoverished subjects. Most Baganda are strongly opposed to the frequent and often secret meetings that Katikkiro JB Walusimbi holds with President Museveni and his point people.