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    Why M7 Is Sacrificing Gen Kayihura’s Men – What Is He Fearing?

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    By Otim Nape
    In international law, norms and practice, there is something called NON-REFOULMENT and it concerns refugees. It’s the principle of international law that obligates state parties to protect refugees and ensure they are not exposed to the danger they are running away from in the first place. This is the reason the saga involving Gen Kayihura’s men (Nixon Agasirwe & others) isn’t simple as it seems.
    Alex Kabanda, who used to work with them repatriating Rwandan refugees back home to face the danger like persecution an d even execution-that they were running away, is the whistle blower causing all this trauma and headache not just to Gen Kayihura but to Kaguta M7 the president also. Kabanda’s escape through Kenya was aided by a number of actors; including some in Kenya and some Ugandan dissidents operating in the Diaspora to oust M7. The dissident Diaspora people have connections and know actors who matter and they have always required or lacked a person like Alex Kabanda to corroborate their story and spur international problems, including sanctions and isolation, against M7.
    In simple terms, non-refoulment is one of those international law norms and practices that not even the worst despots can violate. For M7 it’s even worse given the good political points and positive international acclaim he scored in May when he hosted the international refugee conference in Kampala that was attended by many world leaders including UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. The conference in its resolutions urged other world leaders to respect and generously treat refugees like M7 has done. So what Kabanda’s whistle blowing does is to simply erase all the leverage M7 garnered in that May conference at Munyonyo. The actions Gen Kayihura’s men are said to have committed (handing over Rwandan refugees to be persecuted and executed back home) simply imply that in hosting the May Conference, the Ugandan leader was merely posturing and pretending for his own personal political purposes without any genuine concern for the millions of refugees the world has been praising him for hosting.
    Impeccable sources show that wherever he is hiding, Alex Kabanda closely working with some of the disgruntled very senior officers in the Police Force, has inadvertently uttered a lot of things that have
    greatly battered the image M7 had built in the eyes of the international community as a very hospital president genuinely hosting refugees. The consequences of Kabanda’s utterances must already have manifested to M7 and his highly paid lobbyists in western  capitals must already have advised him on mitigation steps to take in order to manage the situation lest he pays the bigger price including risking international isolation, condemnation, sanctions etc from the international system. Such international criticism and scrutiny is the last thing M7 wants to have at a time he is struggling to overcome a politically very hostile population that has so far defied both the stick and carrot aimed at getting them buy into the proposal by MP Magyezi to delete Article 102(b) and thereby paving way for M7 to rule beyond 2021. This simply is the reason he is acting unusually very fast , tough and decisive to demonstrate to the world that “okay yes something could have gone wrong going by what Nixon and others are accused to have done but corrective measures have been taken by the government of Uganda including having them expeditiously tried in the army court”. Its true many world leaders have been calling him seeking clarification on Alex Kabanda’s confession.  Now with the Nixons on trial, M7 will have something to say eloquently telling those inquisitive world leaders that “this was an isolated incidence and the culprits are going to be severely punished through the army court”.
    Because he greatly values those international connections and endorsements, M7 could go as far as sacrificing Gen Kayihura if that’s what it will take for him to look good in the eyes of the international community on the question of refugees. The game is simple the Nixons, or even their alleged supervisor Gen Kayihura at some point, can go through a lot of pain and ridicule on TVs and media during the military court trials but M7 is still here (so he believes) and they will in the long term be rehabilitated after the storm raised by Alex Kabanda has settled. The political capital from the refugee conference was so much that even former UK Foreign Secretary David Milband appeared on both BBC Steven Sucker’s show and Al-Jazeera giving lengthy interviews praising M7 for his generosity and large heart concerning refugees. Hosting refugees, we dare add, also brings the much needed foreign exchange. You would think the Labor UK politician had become the chief spokesman of the Ugandan president. He defended him so well that Ofwono Opondo would fear for his job if he had watched the show. This is the clout M7 risks losing courtesy of Kabanda’s confession to the world. Ironically before being aided by disgruntled police officers and some Diaspora groups to flee, Alex Kabanda had tried for months to meet M7 to confess to him in return for protection against his compatriots whose evil ways he was now tired of. Last minute efforts were made by him to reach the head ISO or ESO chiefs but this still took forever to materialize yet Kabanda felt time wasn’t on his side. Knowledgeable sources say he kept saying he knew too much and those pursuing him wouldn’t let him live even for one more day. He had to meet M7 or anyone else very powerful in the military to get some protection. It wasn’t forthcoming hence the need to flee. M7 must be regretting what happened to his intelligence system to the extent that someone with such valuable sensitive information couldn’t access him. It’s understandable supplying such (sometimes fake) intelligence has become a way of life for many jobless youths and that explains why those that could ordinarily have taken Kabanda to M7 turned their back on him thinking he might be one of those city conmen just looking for survival. Whatever the case, this is something M7 has learnt from. Kabanda believed the people he was complaining against were too powerful the only ultimate person he would confide into safely had to be M7 himself.
    RISKY BIZ; World leaders rightly praised M7 during the Kampala conference and beyond because they know the political risks involved in a leader accepting to host millions of refugees to the scale Uganda is doing. Because of the ever-diminishing economic opportunities available, it’s uncommon seeing an African strongman risking just to be nice to vulnerable persons (refugees) given that mere presence of refugees can ferment anger, annoy people and cause political problems for him. Globally there is growing resentment towards refugees by people in the host communities and this is something world leaders know pretty well; the very reason they praised M7 for his large heart during the Kampala conference.  Anti-refugee sentiments are responsible for the surge in populism in countries like France, US, UK and other places in the civilized world. And in more resource-constrained Africa, such sentiments should ordinarily be more entrenched, Western leaders assume and thereby making M7 even more extra-ordinary. In Germany the influx of refugees from Syria and elsewhere in Middle East has caused Chancellor Angel Merkel political problems. For being ready to face the political consequences of doing the right but unpopular thing (hosting refugees saying Ugandans too were refugees for many years), M7 has become a darling to many western leaders including those that had written him off. This a dividend he isn’t prepared to lose hence the inevitability of the much publicized public trial Kayihura’s men will be enduring in the coming months. M7 will certainly be very much interested in ensuring the trial is vastly publicized to get the message out there that in Uganda we mean business on refugees and you don’t step on their rights and simply walk away with it.

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    NATIONAL

    Gloves Off As Prime Minister Nabbanja Declares War On Minister Lumumba Over UN Trip…

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    Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja (R) and minister Kasule Lumumba (L)

    Furious Prime Minister who also doubles as the Kakumiro district woman Member of Parliament Robinah Nabbanja Musafiiri has declared a war on Justine Kasule Lumumba the minister of General Duties in the Office of the Prime Minister over the recent trip to United States of America to attend the United Nations Assembly.

    Nabbanja revealed that she was surprised to see Lumumba attending the Assembly meeting because she was not given permission from her as the leader of government business who is responsible for giving ministers and government officials permission to travel abroad.

    She explained that she kept quiet while in US. However, when they immediately landed at Entebbe, she issued a directive not to refund any money to Lumumba and the people she travelled with because they traveled on their own.

    “She will not bring here her fighting practices she has exhibited where she came from. We don’t even have that slot of the minister for General Duties in the Office of the Prime Minister. I directed that she should not receive a refund for the money she used in that trip,” a furious Nabanja told CBS radio.

    She added that she was told that Lumumba was part of the delegation that went with Jessica Alupo the vice president whom Nabbanja said does not have authority to ask because she is her boss.

    She however explained that president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni gave her the green light to travel to the UN Assembly.

    Nabbanja noted that for her to travel to the US to attend the UN Assembly, she first received a special invitation from the UN and report to the president who allowed her to travel.

    She said that while in the US, she meet a number of investors on the sideline of the UN Assembly who picked interest to invest their money in Uganda.

    She added that she also met some of the top leaders of the World Bank who promised her that very soon, they are going to lift the ban they slapped on Uganda because of the Anti-Homosexuality Act passed by the parliament and signed by President Museveni.

    Nabbanja denied allegations that she travelled with a huge delegation including his physical trainer.

    She divulged that she traveled with only five people and among them was his bodyguard, protocol officers and others.

    She threatened to take legal action against the Monitor Publication adding that some papers are used to fight her by publishing malicious stories which put her in bad light before right thinking members of socity.

    “They wrote that I stole Shs9bn which was allocated to teach youths how to drink coffee, yet the money was misused before I was even appointed a prime minister. Enough is enough, I’m going to act against them and you will hear the results,” a furious Nabbanja threatened.

    She explained that her predecessors used to travel abroad with huge delegations but they were never publicised as it was done to her.

    It is on this note that she alleged that her enemies are using the media to put her down but vowed to go down fighting.

    Hamson Obua the government Chief Whip in parliament revealed that during the NRM parliamentary caucus meeting at State House Entebbe, Nabbanja and Alupo were given the opportunity by the president to clear the air over the huge delegation they both traveled with to UN Assembly. They both denied the allegations.

    theGrapevine has established that there has been a silent war between Nabbanja and Lumumba with the Prime Minister accusing Lumumba of disrespecting her and backbiting her.

    Before being appointed a minister, Lumumba, who was the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party Secretary General had a bad working relationship with Dr. Tanga Odoi the party Electoral Commission chairperson.

    theGrapevine made efforts to get a comment from Lumumba over her boss’ allegations against her but her known phone numbers were not going through.

     

    By Sengooba Alirabaki

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    CRIME

    Brig. Gen. Ddamulira Advised To Clear Air On Allegation Of Shielding Criminal Gangs To Avoid Ending Up Like Gen. Kayihura…

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    Criminal Intelligence boss Brig. Gen. Christopher Ddamulira

    Uganda’s representative to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) James Kakooza has advised the nonsense police’s Director for Criminal Intelligence Brig. Gen. Christopher Ddamulira Sserujogi to come up openly and clear the air on allegation made against him of shielding criminal gangs in Kampala city and Metropolitan areas because he fears a nasty ending like former Inspector General of Police Gen. Edward Kale Kayihura.

    Kakooza revealed that when Gen. Kayihura was at the helm of police leadership, allegations were made against him that he used criminal gangs to solve political questions.

    Kakooza narrated that he severally pleaded with Kayihura that if the allegations are true, he should stop because it was soiling his name.

    He added that Gen. Kayihura’s enemies based on his cooperation with criminal gangs to fabricate criminal allegations against him including pinning him over his involvement in the high level murders in the country.

    He stated that President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni based on the said allegation to fire Kayihura from police leadership and ordered for his arrest and prosecution in the court martial.

    “If president Museveni didn’t handle Gen Kayihura’s issues with maturity and experience, he would have ended up being sentenced to death or life imprisonment because the allegations placed on him were very treasonous. So my young brother Brig. Gen. Ddamulira should come out and clear the air on those allegations put against him,” Kakooza stated.

    He added that Brig. Gen. Ddamulira’s statement will not only cleared him but it will also clear the good name of the UPDF institution.

    Kakooza’s advice comes days after Kira Municipality legislator and also the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) spokesperson Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda accused Brig. Gen. Ddamulira of shielding criminals that beat up FDC delegates and stole their belongings both at Busabala and Katonga where they had gone to attend the Extra-Ordinary Delegates Conference summoned by party national chairperson Wasswa Birigwa.

    The Observer newspaper journalist Baker Batte also accused the criminal gang of stealing his brand new laptop.

    However, while speaking to theGrapevine, Batte confirmed that his latotop was recovered by Katwe police even though they have not yet handed it over to him.

    The ghetto leadership in Kampala city, Mukono, Wakiso districts also issued a statement asking Ssemujju to apologize to Brig. Gen. Ddamulira for tarnishing his name that he is shielding criminal gangs in the city.

    Shafik Kalyango, the coordinator ghetto structures, John Lukuse and Geoffrey Nsamba who were arrested by police for terrorising FDC delegates.

    They confessed that they are members of the ghetto structures which is supervised by State House, Brig. Gen. Ddamulira and officials from the ministry in charge of Kampala Metropolitan whose objective is to turn them into good citizens.

    Kalyango added that they are mobilizing the ghetto youths who have not yet joined their structures to avoid being used by the politicians to fight their battles against their political enemies and among them are those who beat FDC delegates and journalists.

    Ssemujju admitted to having seen Kalyango’s letter on social media even though it he not yet been officially served.

    He appreciated the efforts made by Brig. Gen. Ddamulira to organise youths in the city.

    He added that officially, Brig. Gen. Ddamulira denied having knowledge of the criminals hired by the Najjanankumbi FDC camp of party president Patrick Amuriat Oboi and Nathan Nandala Mafabi the Secretary General.

    Ssemujju however noted that there are elements in security circles who are working with criminal gangs in the city.

    He pleaded with Brig. Gen. Ddamulira to use his office to tame them because they will wreak havoc in the country.

     

    By Sengooba Alirabaki

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    NEWS

    Shadow Minister Warns Speaker Among To Prepare For The Worst As Zaake Asks For Special Audit On Parliamentary Commission…

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    The shadow Internal Affairs ministers who also doubles as the Mukono North legislator Abudallah Kiwanuka has warned his boss the speaker of parliament Annet Anita Among to prepare the worst after the Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka on behalf of the parliament lost the Constitutional petition against maverick Mityana Municipality Member of Parliament (MP) Francis Butebi Zaake.

    In a majority judgment of 4-1, the Constitutional Court allowed Zaake’s petition and declared the actions of Speaker Among to dismiss him from the parliamentary commission illegal.

    Court ordered the Attorney General to pay half of the costs of the petition.

    In her leading judgement, Justice Irene Mulyagonja supported by the judgment of other justices who include; Justice Eva Luswata, Justice Muzamir Kibedi and Justice Oscar Kihika declared that the then deputy speaker Among acted as a judge in her own case when she continued chairing the parliament in a matter which she had personal interest which resulted into contravening with Article 2(2),(2), 8A, 28, 42, 44(c) of the constitution.

    They added that parliament violated rule 111(5) of the Rules of Procedure of the parliament during the debate of the motion to remove Zaake from the office of the Commissioner.

    The amendment of the recommendations in the report of the Committee on Rules, Privileges and Discipline to include a recommendation that Zaake be removed from the office of the commissioner had no legal basis and was illegal.

    However, Justice Catherine Bamugemereire disagreed with other members of the panel and dismissed the application but her judgment was defeated by the majority judgment.

    The entire legal battled started in 2022 when speaker Among made statements while presiding over plenary concerning legislator Zaake’s gold medal win in the East African parliamentary games even though he claimed he was still nursing torture wounds as a result of State operatives torture which did not went well the youthful legislator.

    Zaake took his anger to social media and blasted Among which resulted into his dismissal from the parliamentary commission.

    However, Kiwanuka insists that Zaake’s win in the Constitutional Court is a vote of no confidence from President Museveni explaining that if he wanted Among to win, she would have won.

    He insisted that Museveni wanted to show that she doesn’t have the powers she thinks she is exhibiting and she should be very careful because very soon, she could be impeached from her office.

    Kiwanuka explained that Museveni has been sending serious warning signals to Among that she is nothing.

    That’s why he refused to respond to her when parliament impeached junior Lands, Housing and Urban Development minister Persis Namuganza.

    Namuganza is still sitting on the front benches at parliament where ministers sat even after her impeachment.

    Kiwanuka’s warning comes hours after Zaake boasted that he is going back to the parliamentary Commission in high gear and he will start with asking for a special audit on the funds which were okayed by the parliamentary commission to be used by parliament.

    He insisted that one of the reasons why he was illegally dismissed from the parliamentary Commission was because he questioned the manner in which the money was released and sabotaged some of the deals in the commission.

    Zaake asked fellow legislators like; Dr. Twaha Kagabo, Jim Lukwago to believe in themselves and stop taking looking at Among as goddess because she can also be defeated.

    However, Kira Municipality legislator Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda warned Zaake that even if he has won the court case, he might fail to perform as a Commissioner as a result of being frustrated by fellow commissioners.

    He pleaded with the Leader of Opposition in Parliament Mathias Mpuuga Nsamba to talk to the speaker so that she mends her relationship with Zaake to create a good working relationship.

    The Attorney General has already filed a notice of appeal to the Supreme Court against Justice Mulyagonja’s leading judgment.

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