US Army Lieutenant Frank Musisi has responded to the Buganda Post story about the January 26, 2010 Baganda demonstration at the UN, for which Ugandan in Diaspora International (UIDI) deceptively claimed responsibility. Our January 28, 2010 story asserts that UIDI did not organize the Baganda demonstration, that UIDI took photos at the demonstration and manipulated them to suggest that UIDI had organized the demonstration, and that UIDI principals include Lt. Frank Musisi, James Kabonge, James Semakula, Michael Muganga, Fred Kambugu and Kawunde Miti (see “Anti-Museveni Diaspora Organization Faces Accusations of Deception“).

In his strongly worded email response.Lt. Musisi accuses Buganda Post of trying to “divide Lt. Musisi and Baganda” with its stories about him. He then lists what he calls the facts, highlighting his US Army career, his incorruptibility, his principles on dealing with the NRM occupation government and Olara Otunnu, and his charity work in Kalangala, Ssese county.

Notably, Lt. Musisi does not deny that he is one of the key members of UIDI or that UIDI attempted to deceptively take responsibility for a demonstration that was organized by Baganda who are not its members. Nor does he demand any form of apology or retraction from Buganda Post.

We reproduce Lt. Frank Musisi’s email below without any editing:

From: M. Musese [mailto:najjuma@hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, February 01, 2010 1:55 AM
To: Patricia NakatoBugandaPost
Cc: najjuma@hotmail.com
Subject: Please do some homework before you make yourself a total full!

Dear Editor/ Patricia Nakato:

Happy New Year and hopefully everything is going on well with you.

I have just read your article on your blog after a concerned friend called me from Boston and I was tottaly offended.

Anti-Museveni Diaspora Organization Faces Accusations of Deception

I just want to give you some advice that you need to do some home work and due diligence before you post such lies and make yourself a total full. I want to let you know that I know all of you and the people writing all the garbage. This started right after I visited Mengo and was well received, your intention is create a wall between Lt. Musisi and Mengo but you will never succeed. I am above the frey and all the games, I am not the one to eat this “Kanyeebwa”! Good luck to you, but not Lt. Musisi to buy this one! I have a little bit of training!

My advice is that when you write anything about me, you need to do some due diligence and a little bit of homework, before you embarrass yourself more in future. A courtsey of a phone call to me or an email would have saved this embarrasment!

The last time you wrote about me was that, “Buganda Conference to endorse Lt. Musisi for President in Uganda”! Now you are implicating me more in some deceptive roles! You must be on a very serious campaign to divide Lt. Musisi and Baganda, your tactics are below the belt and won’t succeed. I will continue to work and help Buganda regardless of your desire and intention to create a wedge between me and Buganda.

Facts:

I was on military assignment from January 22- 24 in Dallas, TX and then back at my office in Los Angeles on 25 January. Never participated in of the Demonstrations.

1) I  am NOT a member of any political party in Uganda, not even a single one and do not subscribe to any. The day I will join Ugandan politics everyone will know and I don’t need to hide myself. It will be in broad day light.

2)       I have never and will never sell Buganda’s interests as you imply.

3)       I am only involved in non-profit organizations/work that are/is helping Ugandans both in Uganda and those here in the U.S. Just last month I was involved in an immigration court in Boston helping fellow Baganda to gain stay in the U.S. and I am very proud to say that I was able to help them in them in thier time of need. This is the type of work that excites me and the one you need to writing about, but not creating divisions amongst Baganda. I am working hard to fight HIV/AIDS in Kalangala District and that’s were my emphasis is right now and I would encourage you to write about that work on: www.siaap.org I know through this work I will be able to touch many people and help Buganda and Uganda. I challenge to write a positive article about this work in Kalangala because it will help better serve the Baganda and Buganda you claim to love.

4)       Dealing with Uganda Government, and my dealings are never secret. I have always and will always deal with the Uganda without compromising my integrity, character and professional and nothing will stop me! Dealing with the Uganda government is not a CRIME, only those who go there to sell Buganda and take bribes are the ones we should condemn, but not Lt. Musisi who is voicing voices of the  voiceless! My goal is to present majority views without compromising my integrity and professinalism, I am INCORRUPTIBLE! NO ONE CAN BRIBE ME!

5)       I don’t work for the Uganda government and I have never been paid/bribed by the Uganda government. My paycheck is from the U.S. Army and not the Uganda Government!

6)       There is nothing wrong with Baganda including myself in dealing with Olara Otunu or any Northern brothers and sisters, if I chose to, but that does mean selling out Buganda. I know why you are writing this nonsense, your goal is to create a wedge between tribes! Your major intention is divide Baganda in the Diaspora but I personally won’t be one of them. I have been dealing with our Northern brothers for a long time and last year I toured the Acholi land and I have no regrets.

7)       I am sorry I am extremely very busy with my work, as one of the Mobilization Action Officer for my Unit I am extremely very busy with no time to engage in this time wasting activities of yours. But your intention is to divide Baganda but you will not succeed. I don’t know why you involve myself in activities that I never participated in.

Again as I pen off, I challenge you to write about my work in Kalangala: www.siaap.org that way you will be helping the Baganda in Ssese Islands. Another challenge is for you to come out of the closet and write openly like me!

Sincerely,

Frank Musisi

On January 28, 2010, Buganda Post received several emails in connection with a portfolio of six images showing Ugandans in a demonstration.  Some of the emails were simply forward the images to us to let us know that they (the images) existed.  However, more were about the inscription “UN DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST MUSEVENI’S REGIME JANUARY 26, 2010 Ugandan In Diaspora International, Inc” which appeared on the images. Some of the emails accused Ugandan In Diaspora International, Inc (UIDI) of deception and dishonesty because it did not have any active role in organizing the demonstration  shown in the images.

We can report that UIDI was not directly involved in organizing the “Okununula Obuganda” (”Buganda Liberation”) demonstration at the UN on January 26, 2010. The permit for the meeting, as well as all the promotion was done by Mr. Robert Kabuye and Mr. Mukasa Muwonge.  The problem is that the photographer, one Mr. Muganga, put the inscription on the images to suggest that UIDI was responsible for the New York demonstration. This act by UIDI is what has attracted accusations that the young organization is engaging in deception to advance its members’  political and financial interests. The principals in UIDI include Lt. Frank Musisi, James Kabonge, Michael Muganga, James Semakula, Kawunde Miti  and Fred Kambugu (Kabonge’s cousin). It is not yet clear to us  if UIDI has other members.

Sources in Washington DC have confirmed to us that UIDI was started in response to the September 2009  NRM engineered election fiasco at UNAA Chicago. The organization was reportedly conceived by Kabonge around the time he wrote a scathing email to the UNAA Washington DC organizers, stating: “I am going to work to see a change in Uganda , and NRM government extension worldwide, and I ask peace and non corrupt Ugandans to join me in this mission”  (see “Questions About 2010 Uganda American Conferences As UNAA Starts DC Plans”). Since its establishment late in 2009, UIDI  has reportedly organized two demonstrations in  Washington DC, including one on January 22, 2010.

UIDI has also been linked to the website http://www.musevenimustgo.com. The  website’s main page says that it was, “launched by Ugandans in the Diaspora known as Dictator Museveni Must Go Revolution”. The website also requests visitor to donate online to what they call the Museveni Must Go Fund.  It does not specifically state where the money will go.  Notably, the website also subtly associates itself with the Buganda Emergency Conference, which took place in Boston on October 17, 2009. That conference was organized by Ggwangamujje Boston.

Sources have also told us that UIDI principals are working closely with Uganda politician, Dr. Olara Otunnu, and his surrogates to obtain political recognition and financial support in the USA.  We could not confirm if UIDI is a restart of earlier efforts by Olara Otunnu to recruit and use prominent Baganda in America to manipulate Kabaka’s subjects (see “UPC’s Olara Otunnu Enters ‘Mukago’ With America Baganda“).  The involvement of Otunnu’s people in UIDI, however, has raised the alarm again that  a few individuals are trying to manipulate Baganda in the diaspora to serve foreign interests.

The organizers of the Buganda Emergency Meeting, which took place on October 17, 2009, in Boston USA, have published the resolutions from the event (see “Muliika And Frank Musisi To Headline Boston Buganda Emergency Conference“).  We first received a copy of the resolutions at around 4:00 PM Boston time but it took us until 7:30 PM to verify that it was genuine. That is when a highly reliable source confirmed to us that the document was being circulated on the top Baganda discussion lists by Mr. James Semakula, one of the organizers.

Buganda post is preparing a story, together with in depth analysis, on the Buganda Emergency Meeting to be published over the weekend.

The resolution document is reproduced in its entirety below:

Resolutions of the Buganda Emergency Meeting in Boston on October 17, 2009‏

Preamble:-

Aware that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICFSCR), guarantee the right to self determination of all people;

Convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the NRM government has violated fundamental human rights;

Saddened by the gross, unjust and inefficient governance inflicted on the people of Uganda by the NRM regime;

Realizing that Unity is essential to achieving our collective objectives;

Determined to rid Uganda of bad governance, dictatorship, and corruption;

Condemning strongly the NRM government’s continued interference in the running of independent institutions and intrusion into the running and electoral process of organizations of Ugandans in the Diaspora;

We hereby earnestly resolve as follows:-

1.    Establish structures to analyze and determine the resources needed to achieve our objectives.

2.    Advise the Kabaka not to directly negotiate with Museveni, his government, or agents of the NRM regime.

3.    Take appropriate steps to fundraise in order to finance the necessary activities to lead to change and the establishment of genuine democracy in Uganda.

4.    Pursue all legal channels that are useful in achieving our objectives including, but not limited to, international legal action.

5.    Educate the International community about the true political situation in Uganda through demonstrations on a regular basis and lobby work at the New York UN headquarters, Washington DC, and other major cities in the world.

6.    Boycott, effective immediately, all government media and other anti-Buganda entities.

7.    Intensify civic education of the people about the problems and possible solution to the problems being faced by Buganda.

8.    Reach out to other Ugandan ethnicities and groups with a view to making alliances to advance the cause of Democracy and Federalism.

9.    Expose government spies, informers, and traitors– and record their illegal activities within and outside Uganda for the purpose of future prosecution.

10.  Seek better Medical treatment for Mrs. Betty Nambooze Bakireke.

11.  Reject (unanimously) the Regional Tier as a form of governance in Uganda.

12.  Agree that Museveni and his regime must go; and resolve to establish a mechanism for free and fair elections

Former Buganda Katikkiro, Daniel Muliika, and past president of the Uganda North American Association (UNAA), Frank Musisi will be the headliners at the October 17, 2009 emergency conference in Boston, USA. The official organizers are Ggwangamujje Boston. The organizaton has had no active executive since its elections failed elections in November 2008 (see ” November 9th Ggwanga Mujje Meeting Similar to Uganda and Kenyan Elections“).

After the September disturbances, however, the community elected Mr. Buwembo Mayanja to be the caretaker leader and see the association through the troubled times until a new executive is elected. So, Mr. Mayanja is the key decision maker, assisted by several other community members. It is Mr. Mayanja who announced the Emergency Buganda Conference shortly after Lt. Frank Musisi lost the UNAA presidency to Moses Wilson. This writer was there at the Chicago UNAA when, within minutes after Musisi lost the vote, he publicaly declared that he had been cheated and he was now going to focus on leading the Buganda cause in America. He made these statements in the presence of  Omulangira Wasajja and Buganda ministers Nakiwala Kiyingi and  Peter Mayiga who came to represent Buganda.

According to the Buganda Emergency Conference poster that the organizers have been cirulating over the last few weeks, the objectives of the event are (a) To examine the current conditions in Buganda and (b) to find ways to get out of the dire situation. However SMS messages which have been broadcast over Baganda cell phones by one of the organizers, Robert Kabuye, explain that the meeting will choose someone to be Buganda’s candidate against Museveni in the 2011 elections. The SMS messages have  led to some Bganda to suspect that the real goal of the Boston emergency conference may be to “crown” Musisi. This suspicion was strenghtned when Musisi told a Baganda meeting in Los Angeles last weeked that he had been “blessed” as the new leader of all Baganda in America. He never explained the process through which he had been chosen or whether either the Kabaka or the Katikkiro were part of it. And our efforts to confirm through Baganda American leaders if Mmengo or Kabaka appointed Musisi were unsuccessful.

Our sources both in Boston and Washington DC have confirmed that Mr. Mayanja is a strong Musisi supporter, as are several other Boston Baganda. The sources also say that other key Musisi promoters, including Mr. Kabonge and Mrs. Flavia Magoba of Washington DC, Mr. Male of California and Mr. James Semakula also of California. We have not been able to establish if Owek. Dan Muliika came to the meeting to promote Lt. Musisi or simply to present his opinions on the situation in Buganda. However, the former Katikkiro’s position should become clear today, after the true conference agenda is revealed and presentations are made. Robert Kabuye has announced that Mr. Muliika will be the keynote speaker.

Lt. Musisi is a member of the USA army who came to America with the help of his cousin and promnient anti-Buganda kingdom Museveni aide, the late Col. Serwanga Lwanga. The late Col. led the campaign to block the return of the Bulange to Buganda, claiming that Buganda has sold its majestic office building to Milton Obote of Idi Amin.

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