‘SECURITY: Museveni Sleeping on the Job’

By Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda

CONDOLENCE TO THE VICTIMS OF BOMBINGS

The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) once again expresses sympathy to the families that lost their dear ones during the Tuesday November 16^th twin bombings in Kampala. The FDC condemns use of violence to achieve political, economic or any other goals. We condemn violence and killing of innocent people.

As we move closer to the festive season, we would like to advice the public to be extra vigilant because terrorism is real. Those involved in public transport such as taxis, buses and boda bodas, you have a duty to properly check the luggage of your passengers for your own safety and the safety of the public.

We must all be vigilant because Mr. Museveni in his Saturday evening address to the country admitted that the security sector which he personally heads, is sleeping most of the time and only wakes up after an incident. He also admitted that the Police force he is presiding over is corrupt and can be compromised by criminals.

This sector (security) condemned by its head consumes the highest amount of taxpayers’ money in the budget every year. As commander in chief of all armed personnel, Museveni must personally take responsibility for the laxity and sleeping on job by some of the men in the uniform. Table below shows the amount of money the country is spending on each of the security agencies annually.

Security Sector Budget for 2021\22

The FDC demands that all victims of the bombings must be compensated. Families should be compensated for the loss of their dear ones and those whose property was destroyed should also be compensated. Officers sleeping on the job must be prosecuted.

KILLING OF TERRORISM SUSPECTS

The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) condemns the killing of suspects by Police or any other security agency. It has become very common to kill suspects who moreover are handcuffed. The standard claim by Police is that the suspects were confronting their personnel or were attempting to flee. Sheik Muhammad Kilevu is the latest victim of this state inspired killing.

While as a party, we cannot affirm Sheik Kilevu’s innocence or guilt, we condemn his murder because that is not what our Constitution provides.

Article 28 of the Ugandan Constitution presumes every suspect innocent until proved guilty or until that person pleads guilty. The killing of Sheik Kilevu therefore qualifies as extra judicial killing and those who committed it, will one day be personally held responsible.

All the earlier suspects in the attempted assassination of Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala were murdered by Police and military men in suspicious circumstances. They were first arrested, handcuffed, blindfolded,  driven around and then shot dead. This is deliberate and it appears to be the new policy of the Museveni administration.

In fact those that were not murdered were severally tortured. An embarrassed Museveni came out to condemn torture. The latest Museveni is however now justifying the extra judicial murder of Sheik Kilevu.

Our Constitution, Penal Code and Anti-Terrorism Act, provide severe punishment for murderers and terrorists. Why not present evidence before a special court, have the suspects sentenced to death and sign a certificate to have them hanged.

Nobody is condemning Police for arresting anyone. Killing suspects creates suspicion as to whether they were guilty in the first place. This is unacceptable and it must stop immediately.

CAUTION AGAINST CRIMINALIZING MUSLIMS

The FDC would like to caution security agencies against criminalizing Muslims and profiling. Mr. Museveni must also be very careful when profiling suspects. The Muslim community especially of the Tabliq sect are in great fear because of this targeted killings and profiling. Museveni has now turned himself into an interpreter of the Islamic faith.

He is a new expert on the religious concepts like jana(heaven).

Mosques are being declared radicalization centers by Museveni and Security, we fear they may begin invading mosques while mosques while muslems are in prayers

Following the July 11^th 2010 bombing at Lugogo of people watching world cup, People of Somali origin suffered from discrimination. Many Somalis were arrested simply because they were Somalis. In fact, an Egyptian who had come to Uganda as an exhibitor at annual UMA show ended up being arrested because he looked like a Somali and therefore a terrorist.

Raids on mosques, arresting of people attending madrasa and profiling Tabliqs as suspects is a form of discrimination. The security agency must exercise a lot of caution dealing with this problem.

And these are not the first criminals to use Islamic names. You remember late Brig. Chefe Alie, late Shaban Bantariza and Gen. Salim Saleh. All these have while engaged in rebellion used Islamic names. Museveni and Amama Mbabazi were using the name Kassim to access money to fund the Luwero war.

Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda is the FDC Spokesperson

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