Following in the footsteps of Milton Obote and Yoweri Museveni, UPC’s Olara Otunnu has, over the last 6 months, secured a deal (“mukago”) with respected foreign based  Baganda to promote his presidential candidacy. According to a press release dated July 11, 2009, Mr. Otunnu, an Acholi, has been joined four USA based Baganda men,  James Ssemakula (California), John Mayanja (Massachusetts), Mubiru Musoke (Massachusetts) and  Aloysius Lugira (Massachusetts) to form the Campaign for Democracy and Justice in Uganda (CDJ). According to our sources in New York, this is a major step in Mr. Otunnu’s plan to sell himself as the next savior for Baganda – following Obote, Amin, Okello and Museveni.

All Mr. Otunnu’s Baganda partners, with the exception of James Ssemakula, are long-term DP activists and it is not yet clear how their new relationship with UPC’s designated 2011Uganda  presidential candidate might affect their politics.  Additionally, Otunnu’s Baganda partners are all old men over 50 years old who have lived out of Uganda for decades. Interestingly, Mr. Otunnu has not included any of his many American based fellow Acholi’s in this group. Yet his UPC political and security infrastructure in Uganda is getting constructed exclusively by Acholis and anti Miria Obote Langis.

The CDJ leadership is clearly dominated by Baganda who are known to put Buganda and Kabaka first.  However, their press release does not even include the word “Buganda”.  Some Buganda watchers might interpret this as a sign that, like Nsibambi, Gilbert Bukenya, Sekandi and Kiddu Makubya, the CDJ Baganda members fear that direct promotion of Buganda interests would be “tribalistic” and embarrassing.

The press release announcing the formation of Mr. Otunnu’s CDJ is reproduced in full below:

—

PRESS RELEASE
 
Ugandans Launch Campaign for Free and Fair Elections
 
Kampala, Boston, London, Toronto
 
11th July, 2009
 
Today a broad spectrum of Ugandans launched a major national and international campaign for free and fair elections in Uganda. This collective patriotic mission is called Campaign for Democracy and Justice in Uganda (CDJ).
 
The interim president of CDJ, Mr. John Mayanja, stated: “Previous elections conducted by the Museveni regime, which has been in power for 24 years, were massively rigged and manifestly lacked a level playing field. We must absolutely change this. This is the primary reason for the formation and launching of CDJ.”
 
CDJ will campaign for the following norms and standards:
 
. genuinely free and fair elections;
. transparent democratic practice and process;
. the rule of law and accountability;
. justice and equity for all Ugandans;
. national unity.

 
These norms and standards constitute the foundation for democracy and good government in Uganda and worldwide.
 
CDJ is not a political party. It is a non-partisan advocacy project committed to advancing the norms, principles, and standards set out above. CDJ is not affiliated with any particular political parties in Uganda; it is a broad-based network of Ugandan patriots, within the country and in the Diaspora, of diverse political affiliations and persuasion.
 
A particularly important date is approaching on the Ugandan political calendar. The country is preparing to hold national elections in 2011. CDJ will not support any parties or candidates in the forthcoming electoral contests. Its preoccupation is to mount a vigorous campaign for genuinely free and fair elections, with a level playing field for all.
 
The interim chairman of CDJ, Olara A. Otunnu noted: “Today, Uganda is a country in the throes of a grave national crisis and distress. The best way to combat this malaise is the institution of genuine democratic practice and process, beginning with free and fair elections. This would allow the Ugandan people to freely choose and shape their own destiny. It would ensure that leaders are held fully accountable for their actions before the law and the electorate. Democratic process also is the best way to prevent resort to violent conflict.”
 
CDJ calls on Ugandan patriots of all hues, both within the country and in the Diaspora, to come together and mount a robust campaign for free and fair elections in 2011. The interim secretary, Professor Aloysius Lugira stated: “The norms and standards for free and fair elections are now universally accepted. Uganda must not continue to be a perennial exception to universally accepted standards”.

This campaign is in support of the demands for electoral reforms which have been jointly tabled by the political parties in Uganda. The campaign is being launched today on the occasion of President Barack Obama’s speech in Accra; we are inspired by his seminal message, in particular on free and fair elections, accountability, anti-corruption, anti-ethnic sectarianism, anti-nepotism, and equitable opportunity, as indispensable components of democratic governance. Significantly this campaign also echoes and is in line with observations and recommendations made in 2006 by all election observers, including the European Union, the Commonwealth, and Ugandan civil society led by the Uganda Joint Christian Council (UJCC) and the ruling of the Supreme Court of Uganda.
 
2011 must inaugurate a new era for Uganda–an era of free and fair elections, with a level playing field. Ugandans demand, deserve and will accept nothing less. As President Barack Obama stated today, “History is on the side of these brave Africans.”
 
Signed by:
 
Mr. Olara A. Otunnu (Interim Chairman)
Mr. James Ssemakula (Interim Deputy Chairman)
Mr. John Mayanja (Interim President)
Mr. Mubiru Musoke (Interim Treasurer)
Professor Aloysius Lugira (Interim Secretary)
 
For further information, contact:
 
Mr. Jude Mbabaali
Foundation for African Development [FAD]
P.O. Box 2326, Kampala
Tel: 041 4510 486/041 4269 562
Mobile: 0772 444 663
Email: mbabaalij@yahoo.com; fad@infocom.co.ug
 
Professor Aloysius Lugira
Tel: 617-552-3539 or 781-439-3875.
Email: lugira.cdj@gmail.com; lugira@bc.edu

The parents of on the victims to the fire that killed 20 students at Budo Junior school are fear that the ongoing court case is scam designed to cover up what was a mass sacrifice of Baganda children on April 14, 2008.  Through an email, the mother of one of the victims told us that after attending one court session she felt like vomiting in court on Thursday because of the obvious the way Banyankore and Banyarwanda are trying to cover up a mass murder.

The grieving Muganda mother writes, “Please tell Baganda to ask themselves why although Budo is in Buganda, all the people who were in charge of the security of our children are Banyankore or Banyarwanda. And why did President Museveni go to the school and, even before the police had searched the site, ordered that those responsible should be prosecuted for ‘criminal negligence’. If that is not enough, ask yourself why even this man Mugabo who is the judge in the case is a Munyarwanda. Are you shocked? One more, Kale Kayihura the Uganda police boss (see picture) is also100%  Munyarwanda!”

Pleading to Kabaka Mutebi and all Baganda for support, the angry mother adds: “To many of us parents this is a cover up. The police and many of us already know that Kayongo moved students around into Nassolo dormitory days before the fire. And, as Tamale Mirundi assured us Kayongo sent his (Tamale’s) daughter Namuddu and those of other senior government officials home without good reason 2 days before the fire. My daughter cannot come back but I ask all Baganda and especially Ssabasajja to watch this case very carefully, ask themselves why so many of  those involved and Banyarwanda and Banyankore except when it comes to the victims (75% are Baganda). Please be concerned that there is a quiet plan to make Baganda mentally paralyzed by killings like this. Should you wait until they kill your own child or close relative in the next genocide human sacrifice?”

We can report that the former headmaster of Budo is not a Muganda of Kkobe clan as his name suggests but a Munyarwanda, with many relatives living back home in Rwanda. Budo is located in Busiro county of Buganda with a predominantly Baganda population. Yet all those implicated in the fatal fire are Banyankore: Damallie Basirika (matron) and Julius Tumusiime, Andrew Byamukama, Matia Tumuhairwe and Stanley Basirigara (the security guards). And the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate, Vincent Mugabo is a Munyarwanda.  Notably, the official charger against the Banyarwanda and Banyankore is “Neglect of duty”, very much in line with what Mr. Museveni declared when he visited Budo Junior on April 15, 2008.

The lawyers for the defendants are curiously Baganda. Kayongo is defended by one Sserunjogi while Joseph Kasozi represents Basirika. The Banyankore guards do not have lawyers. A list of the children who perished in the fire as presented below. Of the 20 victims, at least 14 were Baganda and only 3 could be Banyankore or Banyarwanda, although sources at the school indicate that about 30% of the pupils at Budo Junior are the time of the fire were from these two groups.

Victim List (Baganda in Bold)

1.   Barbara Natugonza

2.   Betty Kawula

3.   Evelyn Zawedde

4.   Evina Nalwoga

5.   Faith Asiimwe

6.   Joan Nabbosa

7.   Judith Nakavuma

8.   Juliet Lunkuse

9.   Juliet Nambalirwa

10. Latiffa Namuleme

11. Mariam Nakato

12. Merciful Wesonga

13. Mercy Akite

14. Patience Namakoye

15. Patience Namuyanja

16. Patricia Nakazi

17. Samantha Ntunda

18. Sonia Tendo

19. Sylvia Nakandi

20. Yvonne Namaganda

A Muganda security expert living in North America has rubbished the story that appeared in the pornographic Red Pepper news paper, reporting that “Kabaka Mutebi survived death by a whisker last night after security agents diffused a bomb placed near the gates of Bulange”. The expert who requested that his identity not be disclosed because of his current job, told Buganda Post by email that this story has the fingerprints of Mr. Museveni’s clumsy security apparatus. The full email reads:

Fellow patriotic Baganda:

I want you and your children to know that the story which Mr. Museveni’s government planted in Red Pepper can only be a fake, but must be taken very seriously. It is a fake because the facts don’t add up. Who in Uganda not only hates Mutebi (motive) but also has the capacity (means) to secretly import or make, transport to Bulange and stage a sophisticated remote control bomb? Baganda hatters like Kasirivu Atwooki, Elly Karuhanga and Kahinda Otafire?  Or is it Kenya, Tanzania or Congo?  Even a novice security person in a serious country will tell you that Mr. Museveni’s government is unique in having both the motive and means to commit the crime.

And Baganda must remember that Museveni’s government has done this kind of thing with Kabaka before. About 2-3 years ago, when Kabaka Mutebi’s relationship with Museveni was strained, CMI boys threateningly trailed Kabaka’s car through Kampala and abandoned their aggression only after the royal guards fired shots above the CMI vehicle. We later learnt that their intention was to intimidate Kabaka Mutebi and Mengo.

I assure you that this was the work of Museveni’s Police Anti Terrorism Unit (PATU) or Joint Anti Terrorism Unit (JATT), the same people painted as the “saviors” by the Red Pepper. Because they are also the only ones with enough training to stage the whole thing. And the motive appears to be simple, to intimidate the Kabaka Mutebi, Abataka and Mengo radicals into negotiating with Museveni on his terms. The problem is that this stupid move is also extremely dangerous. The people doing this are so drunk with arrogance that they don’t realize that if anything went wrong and the bomb went off, many Baganda might die. And if that happens, hell could break loose in Kampala and thousands of people, especially Banyankore, Banyarwanda and Banyoro could become instant revenge targets. Obviously Museveni’s thinking and plan is that Baganda are the ones who would be massacred. He is like a child playing with matches and every Muganda must stay alert! By the way, you could not rule Rwanda out 100% but what would be their motive?

Wangaala Ssabasajja!!!!

Red Pepper, exclusively owned and ran by Banyankore and Bakiga, is East Africa’s only openly sold pornographic newspaper. Many political analysts in  Buganda believe that the paper is decoy operation of Mr. Museveni’s security apparatus. Its initial capital came from Museveni’s brother Salim Saleh and the government frequently uses it to float stories of a controversial nature. Conservative Baganda view the Red Pepper as one of Mr. Museveni’s biggest onslaughts against Baganda culture. Despite numerous public demonstrations in Buganda against the papers highly pornographic content, Mr. Museveni staunchly supports the  Red Pepper. And over the years, the alien culture of pornography has taken root in Buganda.

BUGANDA EMERGENCY RESPONSE COMMITTEE
PRESS RELEASE

July 20th, 2008

The Kingdom of Buganda has set up the Buganda Emergency Response Committee to provide a reference point on matters regarding the arrest of members and an official of the Buganda Government.

As an interim measure pending an emergency Cabinet Meeting tomorrow, the following are designated as spokespersons for the Kingdom of Buganda:

1. Owek. Daudi Mpanga, Minister of State for Research Tel: 0772 700660
2. Owek. Mathias Mpuuga, Minister of State for Youth Tel: 0772 418504

The Current Situation:

Two Ministers of the Buganda Government and the Chairperson of Buganda’s Central Civic Education Committee were arrested by plain clothed security operatives on Friday July 18th 2008. The individuals are:

1. Owek. Charles Peter Mayiga (Minister of Information and Cabinet and Lukiiko Affairs, Buganda Government);
2. Owek. Medard Lubega (Minister of State for Information, Buganda Government); and
3. Omuk. Betty Nambooze Bakireke (CCEC, Buganda Government).

The arrests came on the day of the successful inaugural Buganda Conference, held at Hotel Africana.

The Buganda Government has not yet been officially informed of the charges being preferred against the detainees but according to a statement attributed to the Inspector General of Police, Major General Kale Kayihura, the charges are:

1. Promoting sectarianism;
2. Inciting violence;
3. Sedition; and
4. Terrorism.

We have reliable information that the detainees have been transferred to Bundibugyo, Ibanda and Kyenjojo, respectively. The reason given for this unusually cruel and degrading action is to purportedly charge the individuals in the area where the crimes were allegedly committed. However it is clear that the true intention must be to continue to deny the detainees their rights to bail, access to next of kin, and access to legal representation.

We wish to state unequivocally that the charges are a complete fabrication and point directly to a hidden agenda of intimidation and humiliation of the people of Buganda. These people are being charged for no reason other than that they are Baganda who are speaking out on the issues that are of concern to the people of Buganda. They are therefore nothing more than Prisoners of Conscience, detained because of their unwavering promotion of the culture, cultural institutions, language and traditions of the Baganda.

Baganda and the people of Uganda will recall that our history of political and constitutional instability as well as confrontation with forces of tyranny, oppression and exploitation began with unnecessarily heavy-handed and illegal actions taken by the Central Government against the Kingdom of Buganda. The escalation we see today brings back unhappy memories of times when people were sent into internal exile or simply disappeared because of their cultural identity or their political beliefs.

Immediate Actions:

1. The Katikiro Owekitibwa John Baptist Walusimbi has been and is actively engaged in negotiations with senior members of Government and the security services to try and secure the release of the detainees and is keeping the Ssabassajja Kabaka fully informed;
2. An emergency Cabinet meeting has been called for 9:00am 21st July 2008 to discuss the situation and resolve on the way forward;
3. A co-ordination desk will be established at Bulange, Mengo, to provide timely and accurate information as the situation unfolds however, in the interim co-ordination and information shall be provided by the above named designated spokespersons; and
4. Legal representation is being arranged for the detainees by the Kingdom in conjunction with the Uganda Law Society.

The Detainees Physical Wellbeing and Welfare:

The Kingdom of Buganda and the families of the detainees will do their best to ensure that the detainees have access to food, clothing and medical care, it should not be in any doubt that responsibility for the physical wellbeing and welfare of the detainees rests squarely with the Government of Uganda.

Call to Action:

We call upon all Ugandans, Religious Bodies as well as human rights and civil society organizations to join the Kingdom of Buganda in denouncing this heavy-handed and illegal action and to engage the Government of Uganda to abide by the Constitution and to cease and desist from the needless persecution of people who are engaged in lawful and democratic debate.

OWEK. APOLLO MAKUBUYA
Attorney General and Minister for Research/
Chairperson Buganda Emergency Response Committee

BUGANDA EMERGENCY RESPONSE COMMITTEE
EKIWANDIIKO EKY’AMAWULIRE

20 July 2008

Obwakabaka bwa Buganda butaddewo akakiiko, Buganda Emergency Response Committee, akanalondoola era n’okwanaganya ensoga ezikwatagana nokusibwa kwa ba minisita ba Gavumenti ya Ssabasajja ababiri awamu n’omukungu wa kakiiko akasomesa ebyettaka.

Embeera kaakano:

Baminisita: Owek. Charles Peter Mayiga, owebyamawulire, n’omumyukawe Owek. Medard Lubega Ssegona Akalya Amagwa n’omukungu Omuky. Betty Nambooze Bakireke bakatibwa kulwokutaano, nga 18 July 2008 olunaku Buganda lweyatuuza olukiiko (conference) tabamiruka okuteesa kunsonga eziruma Obuganda.

Akakiiko kano kateredwawo okutuusa olukiiko lwenkya (Monday 21st July 2008) saawa satu ez’okumakya Akakiiko Akafuzi (Cabinet) lwekanatuula e Bulange Mengo.

Abogeezi abatongole aba Buganda abikiseera bebano

1. Owekitiibwa Daudi Mpanga (minisita omubeezi w’okunonyereza)
2. Owekitibwa Mathias Mpuuga (omumyuka wa minisita wabavubuka)

Gavumenti ya Ssabasajja tenategezeebwa nsonga eyakwasiza abakungu bano mubutongole. Naye ekiwandiko ekigambibwa nti kyafulumizidwa omukulu wa Polisi Kale Kayihura kigamba nti abakungu bano bagenda kuvunanibwa emisango jino wamanga:

1. Okusosola mumawanga (Promoting Sectarianism);
2. Okukuma mubantu ogutaaka (Inciting Violence);
3. Okutyoboola omukulembeze w’egwanga (Sedition);
4. Okukolagana n’ebibiina by’abayeekera (Concealment of treason); ne
5. Obutujju (Terrorism).

Ensonda ezesigika zitutegezezza nti abantu baffe bano bajuludwa mu ttumbi budde n’ebatwalibwa ebunaayira. Betty Nambooze ateberezebwa okuba nga ali Kyenjojo mu Toro, Medard Ssegona nga ali Ibanda mu Ankore ate ye Charles Peter Mayiga nga ali kunsalo Uganda ne Congo e Bundibugyo.

Ensonga eyatwazizza abantu bano ebunayiira mumbeera embi ennyo, mbu kugezaako kubavunanira mubitundu gyebadiza emisango gino newankubadde nga mubitundu bino tukimanyi nti tebalinyangayo. Ekyo kiraga nti ekigendererwa kwekubatulugunya nga babaremesa okw’ogera ne bannamateeka ba’bwe wamu nabenganda zaabwe ekintu ekimenya amateeka.

Twagala okutegeeza egwanga lyonna nti ebisango ebiteredwa kubantu baffe bijingirere ebiraga nti waliwo entekateeka enekusifu eyokujolonga era n’okufebya era nokulinyirira Ababaganda. Bantu baffe bano balangwa kw’ogera kunsoga eziruma Abaganda. Kino kiraga nti bano basibe abemyeyo (prisoner of conscience) abalangwa olulimi lwebogera, ebyobuwangwa byabwe nensi yabwe Buganda.

Abantu ba Ssabasajja nebanaUganda ffenna tujukira bulungi nti ebiseera ebya kazigizigi mu gwanga lyaffe byatandikibwawo ebikolwa ebyekizigu ebyokulumba Obuganda ebyakolebwa abaali mu gavumenti eyawakati.

Ekutulugunya abakungu ba Ssabasajja kitujukiza mbeera eno eyenyiike banaUganda bwebawangangusibwa nga mugwanga munda nga batwalibwa ebunayiira nga e Karamoja oba okubuzibwawo olwensibuko oba enzikiriza yabwe.

Ebikoredwa:

1. Owekitibwa Katikkiro John Baptist Walusimbi ali munteseganya nabakungu ba gavumenti eyawakati okulaba nga abantu baffe bano bayimbulwa era Ssabasajja bulimbeera eriwo emutegezebwa;
2. Akakiiko akafuzi aka Buganda (Cabinet) kayitidwa bunambiro okutuula enkya ku Monday ssawa satu ez’okumakya kakubaganye birowoozo kunsonga eno ennene;
3. Wajja kutekebwawo ofiisi ekwanaganya ensonga zino e Bulange Mengo okuva olunaku lwenkya. Eno no ye ofiisi enetunulira ere nebateegeza embeera nga bwenetambula;
4. Ba puliida (lawyers) abanaawolereza abasibe bamaze okuyungurwa gavumenti ya Ssabasajja wamu ne kitongole kyabanamateeka mu gwanga (Uganda Law Society).

Embeera y’abantu ba Ssabasajja:

Gavumenti ya Ssabasajja n’oBuganda bwonna saako nabomumaka gabasibe bajja kola ekisoboka okutwalira abasibe emmere, engoye n’obujanjabi. Naye ababasibye tebeyibala kubanga obuvunanyizibwa nabuli kalonda akwatagana kubulamu bwabantu baffe ali mumikono gyabwe. Era tubatunuulide n’eriiso ejjogi.

Tukubiriza banna Uganda mwenna, abakulu bamadiini, abalwanirizi be dembe okutwegatakko mukuvumirira embeera eno eyobumenyi bwamateeka nobusibira mubbwa. Era ffena wamu tuteekwa okujukiza gavumenti yawakati nti etekwa okugondera ssemateeka era nokukomya mbagirawo okutuntuza abantu bonna mugwanga abakubaganya ebirowoozo kunsonga yonna.

Owekitibwa Apollo Makubuya
Ssabawolereza wa Gavumenti ya Buganda era akulira okunonyereza
Ssentebe Buganda Emergency Response Committee