By KT Reporter
The outspoken Interior Minister, General Kahinda Otafiire has spoken out against alleged cases of illegal arrests, the abduction of opposition politicians and other vices being raised against President Museveni’s government.
The Ruhinda MP who previously served as the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs warns against the suppression of the citizens and urged Museveni and his cadres to listen to the cries of the oppressed.
“All and sundry should learn to listen to the governed. The Late Pecos Kutesa came to Parliament and we were voting. So he also put up his hand. The colleagues said Kutesa what are voting for when you have just came in. Then Kutesa said all those who are putting up their hands can’t be stupid,” said Otafire.
He was speaking at the e Inaugural Sam Kalega Njuba Memorial Lecture. The lecture was organized by the Uganda Law Society on Thursday.
“Now Mr. Kiwanuka when one cries. It is an incident. When two people cry it is a coincidence. When three people start crying, it is enemy action. There must be reason for us to put our ears on to the ground,” he added.
Politicians and academics have observed that Uganda has drifted into militarism characterized by abduction and torture of civilians by the military. There have been complaints about torture, disappearance of opposition figures among others.
The abductions by state security agencies have been compared to the reigns of Iddi Amin and Milton Obote. The two regime were known for detention without trial, abductions by state research bureau and the Special Forces.
Some of these concerns especially about the state of the judiciary lad to the emergence of the Radical New Bar of the Uganda Law Society under the leadership of Isaac Ssemakadde. Some Ugandans belonging to the opposition NUP party who were arrested ahead of the last general elections have disappeared without trace.
General Otafiire said the emergence of radical elements yearn for a change in status quo should be a cause of concern to the NRM leadership “When your own successors radicalize. And they are radicalizing against you, it means things have been going wrong. And I’m glad that the Lukwagos are doing it now when we are to reach the precipice” he said.
There are few a dishearting events that have taken place in this country. And I don’t want this as minister responsible for internal affairs. I have made myself loud and clear that certain things that are happening are unacceptable because I was here during Amin’s time,” he said.
Otafire went on to recount the dictum of the German preacher, Martin Niemölle during the Second World War.
“When they came for the socialist, I kept silent. Because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the gays. I kept silent because I was not gay. Then they came for the trade unionist. I kept silent because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews. I kept silent because I was not a Jew. When they came for me, there was no body to speak on my behalf,” he stated.
His statement is a powerful warning to those in leadership and generally the citizens who maybe witnessing some of the violations and injustice but have remained are silent due to indifference or personal convenience.
“I was here during Obote I and Amin’s regime — and I can tell you, some of the things happening today are simply unacceptable. Ladies and gentlemen, do not die in the sin of silence.” said Otafiire.
He urged those who are currently listen to what the governed are saying. “In Swahili they say Asiyefunzwa na wazazi atafunzwa na dunia. If you don’t learn from your parents, you will be taught by the world” he said.
He said while the governed maybe wrong sometimes, but the duty of those governing is to patiently explain to the governed where they have gone wrong. “But more often than not, the governed are right. Those who are governed. When you see them crying, when you see them jumping up and down, don’t suppress them. Fee their pain,” he cautioned.
He revealed that he has of recent heard of episode of people being arrested and held in detention for long period without being presented before the courts.
“Arrested? Yeah. Very good. Six months, this person has not been bought to court. So and so has disappeared. Like today from Mbarara a gentleman called Amos Rwangomani. A very big middle care who fights for Museveni tooth and nail. He was arrested. He disappeared for three weeks,” revealed the interior minister.
The common perception has been that only those opposed to the ruling NRM get arrested then disappear without trace. From the Minister’s statement some supporter of the NRM are becoming victims too.
“How can man big as I’m disappear without trace? Because these fellows called me and said if he is dead, give us the body to bury. Listen. Families are now beginning to call on us to give them bodies to bury? We who fought Iddi Amin for the very reason? Excuse me”
He then bluntly told the Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka who was attentively listening that he is crossing the Rubicon.
One of the cases at hand involves the arrest and detention of Sam Mugumya, a former political aide to Dr Kizza Besigye.
He was abducted by suspected security operatives. He is suspected to be held under military detention facilities. The High court in Kampala order ordered the government and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) to produce opposition politician him in court. But there has been no action on the court orders issues at the beginning of September.
Sam Mugumya, who is allegedly being held in military custody. Mugumya was to contest for the Rukungiri Municipality Parliamentary seat in the coming general election.
Tells us what offense was committed by Besigye
The NRM bush war fighter did not mince his words while commenting on the prolonged detention of Dr. Kiiza Besigye and Obeid Lutale who have been in detention for over three hundred days since they were abducted from Kenyan by state security operatives.
“Besigye should be tried. Tried in a court condemned or absolved. It is a right. Bwana Kiwanuka. The department falls under you. DPP is under Kiwanuka. Honestly keeping a man in jail for eight months. And you have not told us what it is. Tell us. Yes I know he could be guilty as well. But for as long as we don’t know what he has done and not done. For us as lay men in the court of public opinion he is innocent.”
Responding to Otafire, the Attorney General , Kiryowa Kiwanuka agree with him that Uganda should not return the dark day of the Amin regime or what many have described as the dark days of the seventies and mid-eighties characterized by disappearances, detention without trial and extrajudicial killings among others. “None of us Ugandans need to get back to where they found us. So we need to work together to get to where we want to get. Of course. Hon Otafire is the chief criminal. Because for e in the constitution they told me that everyone who wants to sue government sue the Attorney General. I think we should make an amendment to say sue the Minister of Internal affairs represented by the Attorney General,” said Kiwanuka.
Some of the excesses like torture, abuse of judicial processes, abductions by state security agents among other we documented in late Sam Njuba’s book “The Betrayal-s a story about all the political governments in Uganda and their leaderships. It describes how political leaders in Uganda since independent; from Dr.Apollo Milton Obote to Yoweri Museveni blatantly raise the people’s hopes, and at the end shutter the same hopes further to dissect how this is achieved using all sorts of opportunistic illusions, suppression of the peoples freedoms and rights, and intrigues to the chagrin of the trusted populace.
The wife to late Njuba, Retired major Gertrude Njuba, a Museveni loyalist and an NRA bush war fighter used the lecture to ca for unity.
“As Africans, we must stop destroying ourselves like nsenene trapped in a kaveera—while our tormentors, the former colonial powers, stand by watching, laughing, and waiting to finish us off. We need unity and love for one another, even when we belong to different political camps. It’s time to come together and protect our continent. We need to be of fighting imperialism instead of ourselves.”
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