President Yoweri Museveni has blamed former Chief Justice Benedicto Kiwanuka for accepting to work with Idi Amin.
Museveni revealed that he doesn’t think it was correct for Benedicto Kiwanuka to accept to be Amin’s Chief Justice.
“You couldn’t talk of judicial independence with Amin. How can Amin say this and you come to the Supreme Court to say the other,” he added.
Museveni made these remarks today at the fifth annual commemoration at the Judiciary Headquarters in Kampala. This year marked 50 years since the first Ugandan Chief Justice was last seen alive.
He divulged that from the onset, it was clear that Idi Amin was not a person to be trusted but also to work with.
“When Amin came in, we the political actors had a difference about Amin. Idi Amin didn’t understand anything and its why we had differences from the word go,” he explained.
“He announced the coup at 3pm and 5pm we were meeting in Yona Kanyomozi’s house in Bugoloobi to fight Amin.”
He contended that whereas Obote had his shortcomings, he was educated and could not behave as Amin.
“I don’t think Obote would kill a civil servant. He would marginalize but not kill in that direct way. For us we had a different view that Kiwanuka shouldn’t have joined Amin. He was principled man but it was unfortunate he ended up with Amin,” he said.
The president however hailed the late Kiwanuka for resisting Mengo chauvinism.
Bulange Mengo is the administrative center for Buganda kingdom let by Kabaka Mutebi II.
Museveni said that Kiwanuka opposed Mengo’s opportunism of pushing the tribal agenda, that is why when they came in, they took a national position.
“We salute him for that. He however turned out to be a martyr in a situation he shouldn’t have been in, in the first place.”
Chief Justice Alfonso Owiny Dollo also hailed the late Kiwanuka noting that his being principled was not being a judicial officer only and not determined by the nature of the judicial officer he was but even as a young politician before Uganda getting independence.
“He was principled enough to stand up and say Democratic Party was a national party. By nature he was a principled person. He was an advocate of the rule of law and respect for human rights to which he ultimately paid the price,” Dollo disclosed.
“We should ask ourselves what we have so far done and what else we can do to uphold his values.”
He furthermore termed him as a ‘martyr’ whose martyrdom was a consequence of his desire to have judicial independence at the time.
Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Nobert Mao joined the President and Chier Justice in appreciating Ben Kiwanuka’s hard work.
Mao revealed that Kiwanuka served ideals not just his ambition but was also a very loyal friend.
He added, “He championed independence of the judiciary. Everything comes at a price. Sometimes you don’t get everything you have paid for but there is nothing you get without paying for it. Today as we reflect on the life of Ben Kiwanuka, we ask ourselves what rule of law is.”
Mao however asked government to help in efforts by the family and other well-wishers to have the remains of Kiwanuka recovered.
“I ask on behalf of the Democratic Party for government to get involved in finding the remains of Ben Kiwanuka. We will be happy even when we just receive a tooth. We will at least be able to bury that tooth,” he vowed.
He furthermore insisted that technology exists for example forensic archeologists and they know roughly where he would have been buried but need the support of government.
It should be remembered that Benedicto Kiwanuka was the first prime minister of Uganda, a leader of the Democratic Party, and one of the persons that led the country in the transition between colonial British rule and independence. He was murdered by Idi Amin’s regime in 1972.
It was on September 21, 1972 when Uganda’s first black Chief Justice was kidnapped from his court chambers in Kampala and four days later shot dead at State lodge Nakasero by President Idi Amin.
This was revealed by the retired 71-year-old Superintendent of Police, Daniel Mulemezi, a resident of Kamuli District in eastern Uganda.
By Kalamira Hope
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