You are right that political murders happen all over the word including Uganda and in most cases such decisions are made by a few high profile people in the government. Obviously,brother Katerega as an NRM cadre will keep telling you otherwise. The examples you gave in Kenya are very good but I don’t think there were capable of causing any political instability for Kenyans. Kenya has got very good institutions such that even the murders of Tom Mboya in 1969 and J. M. Kariuki in 1975 did not cause any political instability.

Nevertheless,we can argumentatively make all murders happening between now and 2011 elections political murders because NRM/Museveni have lost popularity among the wanaichi but wishes to stay in power at all costs.There are several Ugandans who agree with Timothy Kalyegira’s version of Kazini’s death than those who look at it as a product of domestic violence. That’s why we need an independent comission of inquiry to investigate both Byran(Dr.Bukenya’s son) and Kazini’s death regardless of those who cheer brutality and murder of these NRM Generals.

Again I would like to say that all murders are about hate at some level. Even the guy who kills the cop trying to escape from a crime scene or riots- has hate in his heart. There must be a good reason why Mukyala Atim Dralu decided to bat Kazini’s head to death.At what point did she decide to kill him?

As part of the murder probe, police must investigate the friends of lady Atim to see if she had premeditated thoughts to murder the General.Her mobile phone must be in police safe custody by now to establish the people she has been in contact with for the last 6 months. MTN and other communication companies can help on this one.

The only problem is that government does not set commissions of enquiry for purposes of getting to the butoom of the matter. That’s why Kazini’s family and friends should do their own investigations.Most African governments are just corrupt. Anybody can murder anybody and get away with it.

When governments agree to set up official investigations, they usually hope to divert public criticism of human rights abuses. They hope either that public interest will have waned by the time the inquiry is complete or, better still, that the investigation will find in the government’s favour .

For instance,in 1986, the Museveni Government set up a Commission of Inquiry headed by Joseph Mulenga, to investigate human rights violations from the country’s independence in 1962 until it seized power. Up to now, we don’t know the conclusions and recommendations of the report. Yet if they had made everything public, probably some Ugandans, like Mr. Mulindwa Edward, would not have continued to accuse the NRA rebels of murdering people in Luwero and blame it on Obote 2 government. I think Mulenga later became our Attorney General in the same year. I wonder why he was given this post after heading such a sensitive enquiry.

Another example is when in June 1974, President Idi Amin Dada established a Commission of Inquiry chaired by an expatriate Pakistani judge,Justice Mohammed Saied, to look into the ‘disappearance’ of large numbers of Ugandans since his government came to power on 25 January 1971. But the report never came into public domain though the Commission concluded that the Public Safety Unit and the State Research Bureau, special security bodies set up by Amin, bore the main responsibility for the ‘disappearances’. It also criticized army officers for abuse of powers, as well as the activities of the military police and intelligence.

The bottom line here is that the currrent government should facilitate murder investigations into the country and reports from these enquiries should be made public.There is no point for the president to order for a probe into Bryan’s death and the public never gets to see anything in it.

Abbey Kibirige Semuwemba

AINE IVAN,Uganda

Those who know the levels of violence the Afande was acustomed to in ‘love affairs’ wouldn’t agree less that it was long over due. Only that our African Ladies rarely or never ‘reveal’ their ‘love affair’ experiences, there would be thousands if not millions of women to testify to this effect.

Kazine did this everywhere he went. I recall a certain day when we had gone to Zambia for a mission. Deep into Zambia, in a remote city – Kasama – no sooner had we settled in to master our hotel room numbers than the afande came in with a younge girl, possibly in her early 20s!!!! After ‘making love’ with this young girl, I suppose they had met for the first time a couple of minutes before they had sex, afande inflicted terrible pains to the private part of the little girl using his finger nail cutter. When the girl screamed, I and some other persons, believing that the afande had been attacked, pushed the door open – atucally he had not locked the door. The half way necked afande who looked ‘insane’ was speechless as we helped the girl to hospital!!! By chance, there were some negotiations and it never reached the Press, thanks to the remotiness of the place and the power of the Dollar.

Inquire from the ‘intelligence units’ and ministry of foreign affairs, there are so many such cases in which the afande involved himself while on mission!!!! The government used to pay thousands of dollars to the victims – of course the tax payer’s money…

There was another horrible experience of a girl, I think, in the first KIU in-take!!!!Kazini sliced her private part after sex!!!!

What was Kazini’s reaction in such situations? He would simply say, “after deeping your dick in a woman, what else is left … of her … !!!

I believe there are so many ladies cerebrating Kazini’s death – especially the way he was killed!!! Conglese women in partucular will remember the brutarity by which Kazini used to “F***” them in the Generator room at the other side of Kisangani AirPort, among other places!!!

I do not believe M7 could have contemplated killing Kazini especially in the way he was killed!!! Kazini was a careless drinker whom M7 boys could have killed with poison even from a local Marwa drinking point!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I do not think Kazini was any Military threat to M7!!!

It is even more interesting that Kazini is now referred to as a Hero!!!!Goodness!!! Is Uganda short of heros or it is simply that we do not know the meaning of the term or that we do not know Kazini. Guys,

Kazini was one of the trainers of Kandoya. He brought this ‘creativity’ into the camp with him!!!!
Kazini is one of those people who burnt schools, killed people’s children and raped many of them in Luweero and, all these were attributed to OBOTE Troops. Kazini was a great propagandist.

Kazini, together with Rwegyema and their ‘boys’ were key actors in cutting off people’s lips in the North as a military strategy to I solate Konny from the ‘wanainci’ and deny Konny international support!!!

Kazini foresaw the killing of many youth during the Teso rebel fight!!!I recall the day he stood under a tree infront of the Usuku Church, from where he was counting how many had been brought to the slaughter house. He ordered that that they are all assembled in the play ground just opposite the Church. Most of these youth had been ‘arrested’ from Katakwi!!!!

Kazini is the one who foresaw the shooting down of Habyalimana plane; he is the one who facilitated Ikondere (RIP) to trave to Mombasa and receive the ’shipment’!!! Kazini was one the master planners of the war to overthrow Mubutu in which millions of people especially the Rwandan Hutu refugees

Kazini, Salim Sareh, Kagame, Ndugute, etc … were the people responsible for most of the dead bodies you guys saw floating over L, Victoria. They only succeeded to convince the world that it was Habyarimana people doing it!!!!

Guys, you Ugandans, especially those in FDC, put your leaders – Besigye and Muntu – to put to explain the sufferings Kazini, as a person under UPDF, has inflicted upon Ugandans!!!! I find it difficult to understand that Besigye, who wants to bring about ‘reform’ can keep Ugandans in the shadow of information yet he knows all the evils inside. Is it that Besigye and others have forgotten the Nakasongola ’sacrifices’ etc????

Yes, Kazini was a brave soldier but his determination to kill everybody around simply because he suspects there is one enemy is simply inhuman!!!

Anyway, what goes round comes round. Afande Kazini, go and meet the so many innocent souls you sacrificed in Luweero, Northern Uganda, Teso, etc … You killed millions with similar weapons – you have been killed almost the same way.

Ugandans, what we should be looking at is women activists calling for a commission of inquiry into Kazini’s sex-related violence!!That commission, if it builds confidence, it might get millions of witnesses; sharing their horrible experiences!!!

Will Salim, M7 and others also meet death in a similar way!!!An iron bar would be a good substitute for the Kabazi or Gafuni with which many people in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo met their death under these people’s supervision!!!

Hell must have got a new Comer in the name of Kazini.

About Bukenya Junior, let us consult. We might get to more interesting leads

LUSOKE WILLY
UAH forumist

To cut the whole story short, Brother Makumbi was killed across the road near Kawempe Police station under very mysterious circumstances. Those who killed him were on bodabodas. They just shot him around 9pm and took off. It rained that night and there was no power. The police only came at the scene around 10.00 am in the morning the following day. His death was at the time concluded as just another spontnous murder but Makumbi’s family never gave up on him. They did further investigations till when it was established that his wife and the lover boy were behind the whole thing.

I don’t know how the state is gonna handle General Kazini’s murder but i beg the authorities to do more investigations into it otherthan just letting it to pass as another victim of women savages. Kazini’s family should also take it upon themselves to investigate his death.They should ask difficult questions and be willing to spend money in the process.

I hear that General Kazini has been a man of several women. By the way, is it true that the woman who killed him was once a prostitute? Is it also true that Kazini has been a regular customer to the prositutes in and around Kampala? These are things the media should clear up for us as we form our own opinions about General Kazini’s death?
For investigators, nothing should be taken for granted and every piece of information is important.

By the way, what were the conclusions into Noble Mayombo’s death? There was a presidential directive to be investigated but as usual we never had any updates.

Byebyo ebyange

Abbey

The corrupt in Uganda have become so brave that they will use any method, bordering on blatant impunity, to oppose even the obvious, and the logical that can even be “seen” by a blind man.
Now, Eng. Onek is under fire imagine, and by who? By the same people the Saleh inquiry was set up to investigate. Can a ‘thief’ credibly investigate himself? Indeed, the problems of the Energy Ministry have their genesis from among the bureaucrats. They are the ones in the dock. How can they then be expected to give an unbiased input?

What is shocking is that PS Kabagambe, instead of behaving as the custodian of “public good”, is now trying to cover-up the same people he is supposed to chastise. March on Eng. Onek, with your “Revolutionary methods of work” – the methods talked of in the “Chaka-Mchaka” courses. Kabagambe should be disciplined or as a minimum, be transferred. He is the dinosaur of that Ministry and a shift would bring in fresh air. Otherwise, he should be told that his properties will be audited and he will be shamed and put to account. Let him stop that arrogance and impunity.
 
 
Christopher Muwanga,
Nakasero,
Kampala.

Thank you so much on your efforts to try and demisfy the circumstances leading to the disappearance/death of Brig.Gen Y.B Tizihwayo.

You left the theory half way about the Brigadier being arrested & beaten by SRB agents hanging. Why the suspicion of him collaborating with the enermy by some sections of the state machinery, then being trusted by Amin who orders his immediate release.

I understand after his arrest by SRB agents, he never assumed back his command as is your case. Actually a certain Major Abiiriga(a muslim) took over command of the western brigade at around March 1979.

I believe he was murdered in cold blood by SRB agents on the orders of a certain Capt Mzee Yosa who at the time was second in command at SRB Nakasero

Please Mr. Rubins kindly throw more light so as to demisfy the circumstances
regarding your comrade in arms.

Thank you sir,

Albert.

Thank you for the insights into the Amin murders. My comment is about late Brig.Gen.Yorokamu Tizihwayo,western brigade commander Kasese 1975-1979.

Circumstances of his death are conflicting,others say he was murdered by SRB on instructions of Amin while others say it was internal rivarly in the army since Amin at the height of 1979 war, was to appoint him army chief of staff.
Infact when he was commanding officer of 2nd paratropper bn, he had a serios conflict with a certain Major Abiriga where he survived death narrowly.

Could you kindly please give us information surrounding his disappearance and eventual death.

Bwendero.

We need to relieve our rulers of the heavy burden and put our country on track. Our problem is that the critical institutions are occupied by the NRM party activists who are there not to plan but to take directives from the big man. Ultimately, this explains why the NRM has descended on critical academic disciplines and stopped their teaching. For instance, how can any serious government abolish the teaching of political education when the president talks about teaching patriotism?

We have RDCs and political assistants to the president paid by tax payers’ money for doing party work! The police has been militarised and is now full of NRM cadres. I cannot tell how much I have suffered at the hands of Kale Kayihura. The other day I called him and told him how I was illegally detained but he ordered that I shouldn’t be released on police bond. I am happy finally I was taken to court and later remanded to Luzira prison. Sooner than later I will share with all concerned Ugandans, Pan Africanists and human rights defenders the ordeal of the prisoners in Uganda giving incontrovertible facts. So, the police should know that whenever they arrest me I come out more empowered as I get to know more about the dent in the force.
Although Kale Kayihura is a lawyer, he tops the list of law-breakers. I think, he first gets directives from his commander in chief and he implements regardless of whether or not the directives are constitutional. Cry the beloved country!

Some other unserious people have argued that hiking fees helps to curb the number of university graduates as if the cause of our underdevelopment is attributed to huge numbers of university graduates. We need very many university graduates than one can imagine because less than one per cent of our population has university degrees. The major cause of our poor performance is patronage and clientelism which Museveni’s government has embraced. Meritocracy has totally been abandoned and because of that whoever gets a job aims at self-aggrandisement. I have boldly told the government functionaries and written letters to the president. Ironically, instead of addressing the issues raised, the government has opted to harrass me and I am sure they are determined to hound me out of this country or kill me. I am nonetheless intrepid and I know if I died under any unclear circumstances very many people will know the cause. I am surely on the frontline and I am not ready to capitulate until success is attained. Nonetheless I call upon all of you to join me in the struggle. By so-doing, we shall overwhelm the agents of exploitation, oppression and repression who ironically are paid by the tax payers’ money to protect us but choose to brutalise us. We must kick out all Members of Parliament who hobnob with the exploiters and those who exploit the common man. We must be seen to promote the common good. Accordingly, we must strive to ensure that the underprivileged have access to higher education.
Let’s build for the future as Makerere University Motto states. As for me I am available to become a voice of the voiceless. I beg that you support my pariamentary bid in Ruhinda County come 2011. For God and My country!
Vincent Nuwagaba is a political scientist and a holder of Master in human rights from Makerere but also a first year student doing Bachelor of Laws

Honourable Speaker,
Parliament of Uganda.

RE: PETITION AGAINST UNIVERSITY TUITION INCREMENT

Honourable Speaker, we students of Makerere University, appalled by the recent phenomenal, unprecedented and uncalled for fees increment, do hereby petition you on the subject matter on the following grounds;
1. The increment was made abruptly hence leading many admitted students to drop out of the courses they had hitherto been admitted to and were sure they would pay for by the time of application and admission.

2. The increment was too huge to the magnitude of more than 100% for some courses. For instance, Bachelor of Law tuition was hiked from 600,000 (six hundred thousand) shillings to 1,260,000 (one million two hundred sixty thousand) shillings, hence an increment of 126%! If one added functional fees and bank charges the total amount paid comes to 1,808,500 (one million eight hundred eight thousand five hundred) shillings per semester. Thus, although the media have always reported 40%, that is misleading, 40% applies to the courses whose tuition was least hiked. Honourable Speaker, even if the increment was 40%, it is still too much.

3. With the 40% increment, courses such as Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, Bachelor of Pharmacy, Bachelor of Dental Surgery, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Science in Medical Radiography have had their tuition hiked to the tune of 1,344,000 per semester. If one added the functional fees and bank charges, the whole figure comes to 1,893,000 (one million eight hundred ninety three thousand) shillings per semester. For a course like Bachelor of Science in Speech and Language Therapy, although there was no increment, 1.5m tuition alone for one semester is too much because added to functional fees; the whole figure comes to 2,549,000 (two million, five hundred fourty nine thousand) shillings per semester. These figures exclude accommodation, meals, transport and many other scholastic needs such as photocopying, typing, printing, textbooks, exercise books, pens, among others. If one is to lead a peasantry lifestyle, he/she will spend not less than 3,000,000 (3 million) per semester on a Bachelor of Law course. For Medicine and Pharmacy courses, the figure is far beyond this. With this increment, the government will find it difficult to convince many that it indeed is interested in promoting courses that are critical to national development. We know for a fact that our country has inadequate doctors as most of the few trained run out for greener pastures. It is interesting to find out that the government is putting in place disincentives through hiked fees. The courses mentioned herein are just a tip of the iceberg. Otherwise all courses are unaffordable at least to the poor and middle income earners.

4. The increment is not uniform across all public universities. Whereas the least hiked course attracted a 40% increment while some other courses attracted a more than 100% increment for Makerere University, in other public universities, the increment is more or less negligible.

5. The inflation argument doesn’t hold water because functional fees were not increased and it is only tuition that was increased. But also, assuming the issue was inflation that has accumulated over the years, it makes no sense that students that were admitted in 2009-2010 academic year should bear that huge burden. Logically, there should have been a gradual increment of not more than five percent over the years.

6. The increment affects everyone directly or indirectly including Honourable Members of Parliament and Ministers. If one is not a student, they are parents or guardians. If not, they have siblings, neighbours or relatives and if one has none, they are potential students or guardians to the university. Therefore, this is a national issue not merely the concern of a few people.

7. We have reliably learnt that the President sanctioned the increment because somebody duped him that fees increment will curb the problem of Lecturers’ strikes. We know it will instead aggravate the problem because majority of Makerere University Lecturers are Pan Africanists who embrace the Ubuntu philosophy which entails selflessness, compassion, sympathy, empathy and social justice. But also they value education so much because they know it is the surest means of societal transformation. Accordingly, many Lecturers if not all of them have many dependants including their biological children. In fact, Lecturers that we have talked to are planning to demand a 200% increment of their remuneration in order to meet the mind boggling hiked fees fares of up to 126%. Otherwise, it will be pitiable and despicable if Makerere University Professors fail to sponsor their children for the courses of their dream. Thus, the solution to Lecturers’ strikes lies in government increasing their salaries and remitting adequate funds to the university to make academia an attractive profession. Otherwise, what is the justification of paying millions to project officers in ministries and directors in parastatals and pay university Lecturers pea nuts? In fact, don’t get shocked when you see our Lecturers running to juicy government bodies such as National Planning Authority (NPA), Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), and National Social Security Fund (NSSF) among others. Remember, the directors in these agencies are not in any way better qualified than University dons. Government is duty bound to ensure better standards for Lecturers and indeed all other workers but doesn’t have to raise fees to do that for it hurts the peasants which for years the NRM government has purported to protect and liberate out of their poverty.

8. Although we are students, our guardians and parents are workers in the private or public sectors while others are subsistence farmers. Accordingly, the phenomenal tuition increment must necessarily lead to a commensurate increment in salaries and wages and agricultural products across the board. It is ironic that government in the current budget increased civil service salaries by a paltry 5% and went ahead to increase tuition to that magnitude as if civil servants’ children shouldn’t access higher education!

9. Honourable Speaker, we are pretty sure that most of the brainy students that were admitted dropped out because they couldn’t raise the new hiked fees. This in the very short run will deny our country the talents that would transform this country because they are unable to raise high education fares. For a course whose tuition is 1260,000, if one added functional fees and bank charges the total amount paid comes to 1808500 (one million eight hundred eight thousand five hundred) shillings. This figure excludes accommodation, meals, transport and many other scholastic needs such as photocopying, typing, printing, textbooks, exercise books, pens, among others. If one is to lead a peasantry lifestyle, he/she will spend not less than 3,000,000 (3 million) per semester on a course. Otherwise, ordinarily even 4million may not suffice!

10. How many of Uganda’s teachers, policemen, prison warders and indeed public servants have the wherewithal to raise these colossal fees for their children?
11. The right to education is enshrined in Article 30 of the 1995 Uganda constitution. But also the international human rights instruments that Uganda has ratified stress the right to education and emphasise that higher education shall be accessible on the basis of merit. These include inter alia Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR, 1948), Article 13 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR, 1966), Articles 28 and 29 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC, 1989), Article 10 of the Convention on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW, 1979), Articles 1, 2 and 5 of the International Covenant on Elimination of All forms of Racial Discrimination, 1969) and UNESCO Convention Against Discrimination in Education.

Accordingly, education is a fundamental human right but also that it is a critical tool for social transformation is axiomatic. Thus, as the adage goes, “those who are born in gutters don’t die in gutters”, the poor need to be assured that they too are citizens and not subjects in this country. This assurance can only be through ensuring that sons and daughters of peasants are not locked out of higher education as only and only education can put the poor and the rich at an equal footing.

12. It is clear that government sponsorship is virtually a preserve of the children of the rich who go through first world schools. But never be deceived that they are more brilliant and more potentially useful than their counterparts from third world and rural schools. Accordingly, fees increment exposes the poor to double tragedy and reinforces the vicious cycle of poverty. Surprisingly, the government says it is committed to prosperity for all whose components are health for all, wealth for all and education for all! We pray that government puts its money where its mouth is.

13. The solution to Lecturers’ strikes and the Universities’ financial and academic woes cannot and will never be solved by inhuman and heartless fees hikes. Rather, the practical solution lies in government remitting adequate funds to the universities including research funds. And the question of lack of funds is neither here nor there because we have seen non priority sectors such as Ministry of Defence and State House get supplementary funding. In fact, the reason as to why the once “Harvard of Africa” is declining academically is largely because lecturers have been pushed into consultancy research in order to make ends meet. If the government was remitting funds to the University for Research and paying Lecturers well they would concentrate on academic research and not consultancy research which is inimical to academic advancement.

14. Fees hike will inevitably widen the already existing regional imbalances. It is clear that although there are some regions which are economic power houses, there are also regions that are wallowing in despicable levels of poverty. The irony is that the economic power houses almost monopolise government scholarships because they have ability to sponsor their children in the grade A schools. With tuition hike they will still have the monopoly of access to the revered university education!
15. The heartless and inhuman tuition hike has already vindicated Professor Mamdani’s book titled “Scholars in the Market Place”. It has surely portrayed Makerere University as a commercial centre and not a place of knowledge generation, knowledge synthesis, knowledge reproduction and knowledge dissemination. Yet these are the touchstones of any University worth its salt.

16. Finally, this position is not sacrosanct and we pray that it is reversed in the interest of the common good and the good of our country. Those who have already paid will top up next semester. We must take note that public universities are state institutions which must be run by the state and not money generated from peasants majority of whom form the bulk of the parents and are the wretched of the earth to use Franz Fanon’s coinage. Remember we are citizens and not subjects in this country and to our members of parliament, take note that we are voters, our parents are, our neighbours and relatives are. The prohibitive fares for all the courses are antithetical to the prosperity for all slogan of the National Resistance Movement Party/government and they are a harbinger for deeper poverty in the long run. Whoever is at the centre of blocking the poor but intelligent the right to access education is an architect of underdevelopment. You never can tell, the people denied access to education would be vanguards of fighting moral poverty which has tied us and prevented us from moving forward and in our view manifests in all sorts of corruption hence reproducing more poverty. As we build for the future! For God and our country!

Why did these social movements begin?
The Pan African and Trade Union Movements were started to fight multifaceted injustices ranging from slave trade, colonialism, discrimination, exploitation and to-date they are still engrossed in fighting neocolonialism and injustices as a result of globalisation. Many post-independence African leaders were either trade unionists or pan Africanists or both. Both movements are mass movements as trade unions can recruit from all workers but also have the goodwill of non-workers because those who are young aspire to join the working class while the elderly many of them have been workers and need social security a reason why they need the trade unions. But, also one of the raisons d’etre for the trade unions is fighting unemployment. That means the trade unions if organised appeal to all workers and potential workers without exception.

I have had an opportunity of reading the literature of both movements and have for some time now been associated with the two groups. My first experience with the trade unionists was for academic purposes but because of what the trade union movement stands for I ended up falling in love with the trade union movement. With the Pan African Movement, when I joined university, myself together with Comrade Richard Muhumuza, Comrade Rukidi-Mpuga, Comrade Doreen Namara among others genuinely started the Pan African Universities Students Union (PAUSU). We were well intentioned and organised some activities where we would invite Pan African staff from the Global Pan African Movement Secretariat then. PAUSU died a natural death because of the malady that has engrossed the Pan African Movement emanating from the fusion of the Global Pan African Movement with the National Resistance Movement structures. Since Pausu was started to transcend petty partisan Ugandan politics, it lacked the goodwill of those that were supposed to give us a nod. In fact, after my Bachelors course I appealed to Comrade David Mafaabi to allow me do voluntary work at the Pan African secretariat but I was not given a green light and my feeling is that the reason was because I was known not to be an NRM activist. Otherwise, all that were given volunteer opportunities were not necessarily better Pan Africans than me.

How unions and Pan African movements run in Uganda
In Uganda, both the trade unions and the Pan African Movement have been turned into de-facto branches of the NRM party for the staff at the Pan African secretariat are at the same time NRM cadres and it’s highly disputable that one can head that secretariat if they were opposed to the NRM party. Workers members of parliament are at the same time on the leadership of NRM workers’ league and often when they are campaigning they have handouts from the NRM/Museveni extended to them. This scenario has always made workers’ representatives throw the interests of the workers at the altar preferring to advance NRM/Museveni’s interests which are more often than not antithetical to the workers’ interests. Those who become loudmouthed are branded rebels and later panel-beaten back into line. They are cowed into submission using either favours (read bribes) or threats. If you cannot be swayed by the bribes the NRM party threatens to campaign against you (of course using state resources) come the next election and given that many of our politicians exploit situations to pursue their egoistic and egotistic ends, they end up yielding to the pressure and abandoning the cause of their constituents. Accordingly, the NRM has used both the stick and the carrot to muzzle trade unionists. As for the Pan African Movement I have written before in Pambazuka and I wish to restate it now that it has been reduced into an NRM branch and some of us feel it is an extension of state house. Our conviction is informed by the composition of the secretariat staff and appointment. You are not a staunch NRM cadre forget about working at the Global Pan African Movement secretariat.

The foregoing practice is a threat to the trade union and Pan African Movements as the leaders of both movements are hell-bent on promoting and protecting their partisan, selfish interests at the expense of the broader interests of the movements- i.e social justice, social welfare, equality, solidarity and liberty. Ultimately, both the trade union movement and the Pan African Movement have been exploited to promote those who don’t cherish the ideals and values for which the trade unionism and Pan Africanism stand.

It is vital to note that the two movements are necessarily political movements. That notwithstanding, it is imprudent for them to serve petty, trivial partisan political interests. They must strive to promote the common good. They are meant to be the voice of the voiceless. They predate and transcend our partisan politics and they are aimed at the social wellbeing. Forget this current bandwagon of liberal democracy which tends to accentuate the primacy of an individual hence causing individualism, the trade union movement and Pan African Movement should have no illusions about liberal democracy. True, they are meant to be democratic institutions but the democracy they espouse is but social democracy. They are social democratic movements. They are leftist movements and leftists they will remain. It is because of the ideological confusion that the Pan Africans we have here in Uganda who at the same time serve the NRM regime that has wholeheartedly moved to the right are always caught between a rock and a hard place. You will never hear avowed Pan Africans like Chango Macho, Kajabago ka Rusoke and Kirunda Kivejinja singing the Brettonwoods institutions lullabies. This means they are held hostage in a regime whose ideology they don’t believe in. They are captives in a far-right wing political party which sadly at its inception espoused socialist principles.

Internal democracy in the Pan African and Trade Union Movement
The fusion of the unions and Pan African Movement with the NRM party has directly or indirectly led to the dearth of democracy within the movements. The elections in the unions are often ended with drastic allegations of grave malpractices. This has led to the emergence of two other national centres in addition to the National Organisation of Trade Unions (NOTU) which used to be the sole national labour centre. The break-away factions – Central Organisation of Free Trade Unions (COFTU) and Central Organisation of Labour Unions (COLU) broke away from NOTU in the aftermath of the elections held at NOTU’s Quinquennial Delegates conferences in 2003 and 2008 for COFTU and COLU respectively. The December 2008 elections that I followed closely completely fell short of democratic principles and no sane person could call them elections. Like I have already argued above that the workers’ unions have been fused into the NRM party, Charles Bakabulindi who is the Chairman of the NRM Workers’ league sponsored the elections held by NOTU at its Quinquennial Delegates Conference held on 19th December 2008. There are allegations that the Internal Security Organisation (ISO) operatives were trailing the candidates that Bakabulindi was campaigning against the major target being Irene Kaboole a former Chairman General of NOTU who this time was contesting as a Secretary General. A paper was circulated alleging that Irene Kaboole was undermining the NRM as though allegiance to NRM is a prerequisite for being a leader in the trade union movement. I think workers’ leaders should neither pay allegiance to the ruling party nor the opposition parties but must inevitably pay allegiance to the workers. Experience has also shown that the NRM has rarely shown interest in promoting workers’ rights apart from talking about them for electioneering purposes. The plight of the AGOA girls, the NRM’s continued stance against the minimum wage and President Museveni’s warning to the workers’ leaders to stop disturbing “his” investors remain fresh in Ugandans’ mind.

It is vital to note that Irene Kaboole was and still remains the most vocal voice of the workers. She has clearly shown that she is incorruptible and unswerving when it comes to defending the rights of the Ugandan workers most of whom sadly belong to the category of the working poor. Because, Mr Bakabulindi is the chairman of the NRM workers’ league, a member of parliament and a minister, some pundits say that Bakabulindi was not using his money. Some believe he used the NRM party money to which he is chairman of the workers’ league while others say he was using state funds. Otherwise, one would wonder how Mr Bakabulindi would expect to recoup the huge sums of money that he invested in the exercise purely or lrgely because he wanted to see Irene Kaboole not elected as the Secretary General of NOTU. The major reason for fighting Kaboole was not because they were trying to enhance democracy but because they felt that she was overshadowing all the workers’ leaders. Accordingly, electing her as the Secretary General of NOTU would give her ample platform from where she would overshadow them the more. As a result, Ms Irene Kaboole formed another centre called Central Organisation of Labour Unions(COLU)

In the Pan African Movement Uganda chapter, a group headed by Daniel Rugarama organised themselves and hijacked the leadership of the Uganda chapter. Ironically these were and are still aided by Stephen Othieno the “Executive Assistant” to the General Secretary who has even given them two office rooms at the secretariat of the Global Pan African Movement. Surprisingly, the bona fide group headed by John Patrick Mwesigwa Karooro has been forced to seek refugee somewhere else. Shamelessly the masquerading group does not fear to tell everyone that they were elected. What surprises everyone that cares to follow the fracas within the Pan African Movement Uganda chapter is that the masquerading Chairman is a staff member of the Electoral Commission and a lawyer. Accordingly, Mr Rugarama would be expected to embrace the democratic principles of which elections are crucial. It raises concern as to whether or not he has been using his office to perpetuate and orchestrate the rigging of elections. This shows how undemocratic the noble institutions have become.

Corruption in the Trade Union and Pan African Movement
Corruption is also one common feature that cuts across the Pan African Movement and the trade union movement. In NOTU after the Secretary General Mr Lyelmoi Otong Ongaba left office because of illness, the Chairman General and Treasurer General almost took over the role played by the Secretary General. It is reported in NOTU circles that almost each week the duo would organise upcountry meetings claiming they were organising the affiliate unions. Observers however say that it was purely a maneuver to accumulate money from the organisation in form of allowances in form of transport, meals, accommodation and may be risk allowances. In lieu of the above, some trade unionists felt that the retention of some of those implicated in fraudulent activities in NOTU as trustees was an indirect endorsement and sanctioning of corruption.

At the Global Pan African secretariat also, accusations of financial impropriety have been and are still rife. The secretariat is single handedly funded by the Uganda tax payers’ money which would call for openness and transparency in what the secretariat does and how it spends the money extended to it. Sadly, the secretariat staff members have often maintained that they are not enjoined to give accountability to individual Ugandans let alone the national chapter of the Pan African Movement. They argue that they give accountability reports to the ministry of foreign affairs through which the funds are channeled to the global secretariat of the Pan African Movement. Some of us feel that at the time of his death, Comrade Dr Tajudeen must have been nauseated and disgusted at the manner the secretariat was being run. Nonetheless, that the two movements are engrossed in corruption shouldn’t surprise anyone. What else would one expect of movements that were started on socialist ideals when they embrace ultra capitalism and far right wing politics? Capitalism is inimical and antithetical to what the trade unions and Pan African Movement stood for at their inception.

What needs to be done?
The trade union movement and the Pan African Movement should be at the forefront of denouncing dictatorship. They denounced colonialist dictatorship and they are enjoined to denounce and decry African dictatorship. It is also vital to note that the slogans of the two movements have been abused and desecrated.

Solidarity and comradeship?
The trade union movement slogan is solidarity for ever. The pan African movement slogan on the other hand is Don’t agonise, organise. A closer look at the trade union movement in Uganda shows visible absence of solidarity. Infighting, intrigue and internal squabbles with some leaders and members pulling one another down is the order of the day. This applies to the Pan African Movement where the national chapter headed by comrade JP Mwesigwa Karooro has another team under Comrade Daniel Rugarama masquerading to be the bona fide team heading the chapter. Paradoxically, the masquerading team is supported wholeheartedly by the executive secretary of the Global Pan African Movement Stephen Othieno whom I hear was also appointed by the president on grounds that he is an NRM cadre and a son to a senior Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officer.

Therefore, it is clear that what the trade union movement and the Pan African Movement have in common is the absence of solidarity, incessant antagonism and comradeship in form but not in substance. This scenario is brought about by the fact that there are two categories of members: 1.those that are genuinely passionate about the ideals, values and objectives of the movements which are centred on social welfare and the common good and 2.those that seek personal and self-aggrandisement. Unfortunately, self-aggrandisement seekers carry the day in the short run.

Way forward
Despite the scam that characterizes both the trade unions and the pan African Movement, we must not give up because winners are not those who never face challenges but those who never give up in spite of the challenges. The road for social justice struggle is not a smooth one and therefore not for the faint of heart; it is characterized by potholes, hills and gullies. As one consistently walks on that road, they are bound to step on so many people’s toes and as such serious challenges and threats are a necessity. However, we must be guided by the Pan African principle, “the struggle continues”. Trade unions and the Pan African movement must extricate themselves from the claws and clutches of African predatory leaders who promised too much upon capturing power and have destroyed too much instead and turned state houses into their families and are determined not even to be evicted by death for they put in place situation that make it possible to bequeath statehouses to their offspring. The biggest problem Africa is faced with is the omnipresence of Machiavellian politicians who love power too much and have no love for the people. These rulers/politicians seek to capture, consolidate and retain power at all costs and they see power as an end in itself rather than seeing power as a means to the end- which end should be the common good. Forward ever, Backward Never!

Vincent Nuwagaba
Mr Nuwagaba is an expert on socio-economic rights and Political activist Email: vnuwagaba@gmail.com or cell phone +256772843552

Just recently, people died in Teso region because of hunger yet billions of money were pilferred by the CHOGM organisers. As we speak now, very few people from the greater northern Uganda will have access to university education simply because the fees have been overly hiked. The NRM has not only impoverished the people from the greater north but also killed them. To date, we have never had explanation about the Mukula massacres.

Some Ugandans may think the western part has had a lion’s share but it has also not been spared. I got incontrovertible data that the fake NGO known as COWE which fleeced the peasants in western Uganda had links with the NRM government. All of us know very well that Museveni has pitted the Banyoro communities against one another and the greatest casualties are the Bakiga who have hitherto been religiously voting Museveni and his NRM. I now call upon all the Bakiga and all loving Ugandans to shun Museveni because he is no longer relevant.

Not so long ago, president Museveni condoned witchcraft. All of us know how deadly witchcraft has been to our society with the rising numbers of children being sacrificed for buildings including in Kampala. Shamelessly the president forgets that our motto is for God and our country.

We must rid this country of people that have been absolutely corrupted by power. All of us must begin debating the relevance of restoring term limits in our constitution. As for me, I made my contribution even when the debate to remove term limits was hot. I am happy, many Ugandans are beginning to see our arguments. As we plan to heal this country, we must make sure that many of us are elected to lead. Let many of us vie for leadership positions in various places. This will help us make a meaningful contriution but also it will shield us from persecution from the state machinery. As for me, I am clearly in the race for Ruhinda couty Member of Parliament and I call upon all concerned Ugandans and well-wishers to extend me their support in any form. I would like to draw your attention to the realisation that a member of parliament serves the nation not only his constituents. Accordingly, when I come to parliament I will listen to all views regardless of the source. I will first of all advocate meritocracy in the allocation and distribution of political and/or public goods. This then will ensure meritocracy everywhere. I will not sit idle and leave our academics to starve when politicians day in day out re pilferring public funds. I will advocate for the civil servants majority of whose pay is barely half a million Uganda shillings. I will atleast be on record when it comes to parliamentarians’ remuneration. Parliament is not an area for self-enrichment. Politics is not a vocation for those who are hungry for money. It is paradoxical that one can aspire to be the richest person when at the same time is the most powerful. This world is about tradeoffs and give and take. Take an example of our president whose children and grand children’s school fees is paid by the state; whose meals including onions are paid for by the state; a person whose retirement package it is very clear that it will be catered for by the state. It is inconceivable that such a person has turned state house a clearing agency and business firm. We must work day and night to relieve this man of state duties. If he likes doing business, let him go and do business come 2011.

Vincent Nuwagaba is a human rights defender and can be reached via email on vnuwagaba@gmail.com or cell phones +256772 843 552 +256712 843 552 +256702 843 552

Museveni hates the truth and those who speak the truth he regards as enemies of the state as though he is the state himself. I am one of those that used to think that there is unlimited freedom of speech and free expression. Not any more. I learnt that there is no freedom of expression in April 2008 when five days after I had appeared on the state owned television with a minister and told all the viewers that the country was seated on a time bomb because of graduate unemployment. I argued that the unemployed are not those without skills but the highly educated and highly qualified. Our problem however is that jobs are given on patronage basis and I have discovered that government encourages its supporters who have no credentials to forge them so that they are given jobs. Otherwise, why would the government deliberately refuse to direct the employers to verify their employees’ credentials?
This laxity or deliberate move to fill the critical jobs with sycophants has led to the worst form of corruption and criminality-hiring mercenaries to write students’ coursework. Coursework at universities is written by the brilliant graduates who get good grades but fail to get jobs because they have no godfathers in government. This also means that inefficiency will remain the order of the day. How would anyone expect efficiency and effectiveness from quacks; from criminals who forge documents; from people who don’t know what to do? Unfortunately, the elites have chosen to keep quiet. They have folded their hands and crossed their legs and I am sure it is this complacency that has made the ruling party take us forgranted. We must use the two important weapons we have: our pens and tongues. I am sure, we shall not remain the same.

Now the situation has been worse. For long Museveni has projected himself as a defender of the common man but now he has made it clear that no son or daughter of the peasant will be able to access university education by heartlessly hiking tuition in public universities. While he does that civil servants continue earning peanuts while politicians fleece the state. This is a man who purpotedly liberated us!

I wrote a letter which was published in the press on http://www.africanexecutive.com/modules/magazine/articles.php?article=4579. I thought I was expressing my concerns as a citizen but I ended up in jail and spent there seventeen days. To date I am undergoing malicious prosecution by the state. I cannot count how many times I have been thrown in police cells without any explanation. Last year I stopped on the verge of the grave for after showing the government was not doing enough to address the plight of the unemployed on Television and writing three articles in the Daily Monitor, the state operatives knew that the only way they could silence me was to kill me without anyone knowing. Thus, they arrested me on 11 April 2008 and dumped me in Kampala Central Police Station dungeon. By God’s grace, Prof John-Jean Barya of the Faculty of Law, Makerere University learnt of it. His social status as a professor of law and a practicing lawyer not withstanding, Prof Barya was blocked from seeing me. What followed was throwing me to Butabika mental hospital on 15 April 2008 after conniving with the medical staff there to poison me with drugs which ultimately would kill me. After nine days, I tactfully left Butabika but as I was preparing to sue the government, I was grabbed again on 28 May 2008 and dumped in the Central Police Station Dungeon. On 29 May 2008, I was driven to Butabika again. This time I spent close to a month for I was released on 24 June 2008 after my tormentors learnt that I wouldn’t recover. They said deep within their hearts that let this saboteur go and die elsewhere. I developed goose pimples, I got overly swollen and developed scales akin to those of tilapia fish. Three days after my release, I almost died and I later recovered from Ishaka Hospital in Bushenyi. While in Butabika, I saw Wamala Reuben killed in cold blood and I don’t know how many people raised their fingers to ask how that young man died.

I have sued the Attorne General but my case is being frustrated. I lost my source of livelihood and the reason was to make me vulnerable and hence manipulable. I know we have many of you Ugandans who still treasure this pearl of Africa of ours and I would call on you to extend a helping hand to me. The president has in this year written to me saying I have personal vendetta against him and his letter can be accessed via http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/57599. He told me not to reply but I did reply since I know I have both a moral and legal obligation to contribute to my nation’s democratic process and my reply can be accessed on http://allafrica.com/stories/200907100923.html. The website that the president was using to share with donors, investors and citizens http://www.ugandapstf.org has since been blocked because the president doesn’t want any sound advice.

I know there are many donor countries that are convinced about Museveni’s democratic credentials but I would wish to remind them of the old saying that he who wears the shoe knows best where it pinches. Ugandans who sell their land, their livestock, their food reserves and everything else they own to have their children study have a tale to tell when their children spend ages on the streets. Instead of alleviating poverty, Museveni has ably amplified poverty by concentrating wealth in few hands. During Mobutu’s days, Zaire’s vast wealth ended in the pockets of the president, his relatives and his cronies. Museveni has clearly read from Mobutu’s scripts and he is now the Mobutu of East Africa. Museveni has not learnt from his young brother Paul Kagame whom he used to call a boy a few years ago. Kagame has transformed Rwanda and it is surely on a socio-democratic path although the naive people think Kagame is autocratic and Museveni is democratic because the former focuses on positive rights and Museveni pretends to be a liberal democrat providing for the negative rights which he doesn’t.
I would wish to tell the western countries who for many years have hobnobbed with Museveni that if the country recedes to chaos, their interests will never be catered for. Museveni is one of the achitects of rebellism and he seems not to know that those who make peaceful change impossible make violent revolution inevitable. I am not in any way an advocate of violence but I am sure if many of us continue being squeezed against the wall; if the government’s actions lead to frustration, normlessness, and hopelessness, we cannot rule out rebellion.

Museveni has had too many of these lectures and has failed to budge. Thus, the best people to remind are the donors. As I write this, I am constantly threatened and the threats became even more when I openly declared my intention to stand for a parliamentary seat against Mr Otafiire Kahinda who is a minister in Museveni’s government. But, my candidature is driven by my passion and desire to serve humanity. As such, I am not in anyway frightened by the threats and I know that the worst enemy is fear. I only call upon all peace-loving Ugandans and well-wishers to offer me support either financially or otherwise. I hope the future is bright if we have people who will not betray their conscience in exchange for the delicacies from those occupying the seats of power.
For God and my Country.
Vincent Nuwagaba is a human rights defender and can be reached on vnuwagaba@gmail.com or +256772 843 552

I think the system will cater to all those Ugandans in the minority to ensure a balanced and fair system of governance. I went with this makeup simply because they are constitutionally recognized as tribes of Uganda. Ofcourse there are many more who ought to be in the mix. But imagine an Acholi in Rwanda saying that he wants to run for parliament, how far would that go or a Muganda in Sudan asking to run for a seat! Perhaps with the East African federated states all this anomalies will be intertained-I believe Ugandans have been incredibly accommodating to all sorts of folks and credit has to be given where it is due.
We seems to be going backwards now and we are saying lets try something different this time.

Tendo

Kalundi in an effort to become ‘aganda’ a hero and possibly ‘murtyer’ adopted the Federo issue and used it to insult the president to the point of questioning his upbringing!! The great hero clearly shifted from discussing issues to personality and thought that everybody was cheering him. He now thought that all Ugandans are baganda and that his extremist views were appreciated by all.

In fact Kalundi turned Radio One into a forum to preach ‘ganda’ supremacy vis-a-vis other Ugandans. All this was tolorable to a point until he went for personality of others.

Bye the way do you know that most of the so called journalists in Uganda make their lucklustre careers to bloom after a confrotation with the state? kalundi is one such fellow!

Greetings!! I am new to UAH forum having been told of the its existence by a friend. I visited the website and have been reading some of the postings.

I have found that most of the posting are about Buganda, Buganda and more Buganda alongside the elusive “federo” quest. In other words the UAH is Buganda eccentric forum rather that being Uganda eccentric. Which makes me to wonder aloud: why not call the forum Buganda-At-Heart (BAH) in stead of Uganda-At-Heart? This really is what this forum is all about – to serve the interests of Buganda and Baganda at the expense of other Ugandans.

For those of you who are pushing for tribal “federo”, please do so while bearing in mind that Uganda has other Ugandans who are not Baganda and that their interests, concerns, fears and views are taken in consideration in the “federo” debacle.

I therefore find it ridiculous that the Baganda are purporting to demand “federo” from Museveni instead of talking to other Ugandans.Museveni has no “federo” to offer. Rather it is the 24 million Ugandans who are not Baganda who can give the 6 million Ugandans who are baganda “federo”.

Lastly, being a non Muganda I was “privileged” to have lived through the recent riots in Kampala. The situation here was a near genocide. The charged Baganda targeted other Ugandans for attack based on tribe. In the illegal road blocks that they had set up innocent people were being asked to sing a “Ekitiibwa kya Buganda” as a test – failure of which attracted serious beating, molestation and even death. Many women from western Uganda especially were undressed and forced to march around naked. Some were raped.

Though I come from eastern Uganda my own sister was unfortunate enough to be light skinned and was branded a Munyakole and was physically assaulted in Seeta! She survived being raped due to the sudden appearance of Police at the scene but lost all her property. She is still nursing an injured limb.

The other method that was used to identify non Baganda for harassment was being asked to give a detailed lineage of your family background as Baganda do. You can be sure that a lot of non Baganda paid a heavy price. Their crime?!: not being a Muganda when it mattered most!!!!. Incidentally even some Baganda with ‘long’ noses were harassed.

I wonder whether those who write glowingly about the recent riots from the safety of foreign lands really know what happened in Uganda at that time when the name of the Kabaka and Buganda was invoked to commit all manner of heinous crimes against other Ugandans some of who have been supporting Buganda demand for “federo” ?

Mr Gombya is blatantly and flat wrong on the steps he took to write Mr. Byaruhanga’s story and to expose the Dutch family in an issue of not their concern. In the first place before publishing such an article , he should have taken sometime and consult the Dutch family on whether it was alright to publish their names and photographs and also Mr. Byaruhanga on whether the story about him was correct and right for publication to the media. As a well respected journalist before publishing such an article or any article that is sensitive to the media he must have consulted the host to proof read it and correct areas that required some correction Mr Gombya might not be an officially recruited agent of the Yoweri Musevenis Puppets who are practicing self-censorship to protect their identity but his actions in publishing this article without final proof from Mr Byaruhanga make him look like one. he has sold out so much to the media yet he continues masquerading as a sympathiser of Mr Byaruhanga .double dealing, the real attributes of intelligence personell.

Whats the mystery here? Am sure Mr. Gombya had to use false identity to make the story look Good. I have known Mr Byaruhanga for a period of time as a member of the UAH forum and he has never been a terrorist as portrayed by Mr. Gombya . This article lucks a lot of credibility and was never written in chronological order as to what I know of Mr. Byaruhanga.

Fellow Ugandans I argues that these proceedings against Mr. Byaruhanga might reveal details that will compromise national security. But I am very critical of baseless statements said because the judgment will not be delivered “in camera” but in full view of the public.

In addition to breaching the dutch family pictures without their consent violated their rights as enshrined . This family has been very much angered by Mr Gombyas action and are to take a legal action on mr. gombyas action for violating their rights and may consider taking legal action.
My observation aboutMr. Gombya is he violated the privacy of the Dutch family by exposing them in the news that did not concern them and without their permission. Also he published this story without consulting Mr. Byaruhanga for proof reading and permission to publish. Apparently the story was distorted and concluded as a blackmail of Mr. Byaruhanga. I therefore urge to all readers in the UAH forum the e-mail to Dr. Henry Gombyas article, so that you may judge Dr Gombyas journalistic credibility for your selves and perhaps inform the forum what you all think. This e-mail also puts right the statements which may have been deliberately or otherwise wrongly presented to stain Mr Byaruhanga so that he remains isolated for years to come.

Circumstances of case
Hello Forum readers I would like to bring to your attention a situation involving Mr Gombyas action in which he is trying to paint or blackmail Mr. Byaruhanga as an undercover whistle blower for the government of Uganda. Here you will find out what Mr Gombya did and how he acted as if he was innocent but I have just included a small portion on what his actions are. Please read on…………………
On March 6, 1987, at about 11:00pm Dr. Kayiira and his friend Mr. Henry Gombya, a BBC stringer, were having a meal with Gombya’s wife, Vicky Navva, age 24 years, and three other girls, Josephine Babirye, age 19, Julian Nabwire, age 14 years and Annet Namatovu, age 23 years, when a number of men believed to be about 10 to 14, entered the garden compound and attacked the persons present.
At the time of the attack it was dark and the house was without electricity due to power cuts and the only lighting was that provided by a storm lamp which was apparently hanging from the side wall nearest where the occupants were eating.
Some of the attackers had torches and according to the witnesses at least three of the attackers had fire-arms, one an AK47 submachine gun.
Exactly what transpired will be examined in greater detail further in the report but suffice it to say the occupants of the house ran into the premises, including Dr. Kayiira and Mr. Gombya and hid themselves in their respective rooms.

Subsequent events show that Dr. Kayiira was shot four times (two in the right arm and twice in the left side of the body), injuries from which he died and Mr. Gombya made his escape via the front security gate and hid in a banana plantation after first separating the sum of 40 million shillings into two halves and throwing one half in a box into the matoke plantation which adjoins the house. The remaining half was left for the attackers and is part of the property stolen from the house. None of the other occupants of the house, i.e. the three girls, were apparently injured although Vicky Naava states that she was kicked and punched.

Background information
Before looking at the evidence surrounding the murder, it is of use if the reader was made aware of the backgrounds and events involving the main principals, i.e. Dr. Kayiira and Mr. Gombya involvement in the killing of Mr. Kayiira.

Events leading up to the murder
Mr. Henry Gombya is a BBC stringer and although his work involves reporting matters of interest to news agencies on freelance basis, he is undoubtedly very well connected with many government officials as their spy under the cover of Journalism, and that is what he was trying to do again to Mr Byaruhanga. Mr Gombya is also strongly suspected of being involved in black market business transactions involving foreign exchange. In Uganda the exchange of currency on the black market appears to be the rule rather than the exception to Mr Gombya. He was offered a presidential treatment at Mr. Mient Dijkstra home while posing as a journalist and also tainted their names without their consent which has angered them to the point that they are arranging to file for legal action against Mr Gombyas actions. And the Str8talk cronicles.

Fellow Ugandans and readers of the forum I urge to you that we do not want to see another Kayiira or Dr. Basigye’s incident repeating itself in this situation to Mr. Byaruhanga. Mr. Byaruhanga has demonstrated time and time again that he does care and have value for human life, that is being destroyed by poor leaders and people posing under certain title as Mr. Gombya is and they can kill with impunity. The Baganda have a saying that when they tell you that a two headed snake does not have poison-why would you want to put your finger in the snake’s mouth to find out ?

The purpose of this mail is to advise you and other members of this forum to refrain from trying to force people to admit being who they are not. The recent riots in and around Kampala may be a ”rehearsal” of what is yet to occur in Uganda. Let us remember what Uganda has gone through and try to refrain from acts that would cause disunity or violence. Let us appreciate the contribution of information or amicable debates from all the members, baring in mind that we learn from each other. As a professional Journalist, Mr. Gombya should have known that he was not supposed to publish any story without the hosts approval unless one is posing under cover. Mr Gombya should not have published the photos of the family that that offered him a presidential treatment at their residence. These are well respectable member of the Dutch community. I duly second them on any action they will take. After all, we all need the best for Uganda. The situation in Ugandatoday may seem tribalistic, but I continue to see Ugandans abroad
attracted to each other in the spirit of brotherhood, irrespective of tribal difference.

We debate here at the forum, as we continue to educate each other about many issues of treamendous importance, for the good of our beloved country. Imagine that we find ourselves in Uganda and the times have changed, so that there is no reason for fear, but unity for the prosperity of our country. Then you meet several people and you notice that they are some of those with whom you used to debate at the forum. How would you feel? Would you not feel so delighted to meet, rather than hiding yourself for the insults and dangerous allegations you used to thrust to some of these compatriots?

I hope you will receive my humble advice knowing that there is no disrespect intended to publish ones names under cover or posing as a sympathiser. God bless you all, For God and my country .

Anthony Rwaga
UAH forumist