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Dear fellow Ugandans and all readers,
please bear with our slow updates, due to some changes we are still reorganizing a few things so we can survive and continue to bring you news.
Today we bring you this tragic history which can help us reflect and avoid past mistakes that cause our land to be soaked in innocent blood.
Uganda is a small country made up of people from different religions and tribes and backgrounds. In reality we are all similar, but bad leaders have taken advantage and played upon our geuine variations, making our short political history as a nation among the most violent and bloodiest in this region. For over 35 years now, thousands upon tens of thousands Ugandans have been killed for no other reason than being born in a certain earea, tribe, or belonging to a religion.
President Museveni's regime which captured power on the promise of fighting sectarianism and backwardness has seen the worst time of sectarianism, nepotism and ethnic tensions. More than the shameless theft of huge sums of public money and public wealth, this is the most dangerous legacy which Museveni will leave forever.
Our feature article today reminds us of a massacre that took place over 29 years ago. When ethnic or religious tensions are raised, people forget that they are being fooled. In those days, presient Idi Amin was seen as abusing state power by promoting his religion. Some people who could not think beyond that came to see all Muslims as the opressor and enemy.
In reality the real criminal were trying to hide behind Islam or the tribe.
You know like if a hen is attacked when it has chicks, it blows out its feathers to look very big and fierce. In similar manner, the crooks take cover under the wings of their tribe or religion to make it difficult and complicated to single them out and bring them to justice.
The fact is there is no tribe or religion in Uganda which condones theft, where fathers bring up their children saying my child, you steal and become a good robber. No people here in our country say that killing is okay. All our tribes and religions take justice, fairness, truthfulness and hard work to be their cherished values. Everyone wants good education, economic and social development.
But we have got this persistent problem of leaders who are crooks and public menaces, they like to hide their evil deeds behind the label of a religion and tribe. And in the end you find people saying those people are thieves and approve of these bad acts.
In the 70's, people used to say "Kakwas" or "Nubians" are eating. In the early 80's it was "northerners", now we hear it is "Banyankole" or "Hima".
Though in fact 99% of people in the so-called "eating" tribes are as poor and suffering like other impoverished Ugandans. You only have to travel to West Nile, Northern Uganda or the West and South West to see for yourself. The "eating" is not done as a tribe but at a personal and relatives or family basis.
Because of people organising along tribal lines and gaining a following from their areas, including abaleebesi and others who just want to survive, it seems like the whole tribe is doing well and supports these activity. And a lot of people believe it, because that is all which they have been exposed to, so you cannot blame them. But in the larger picture, it is just a small clique of people centered around Kampala posing as "we northerners", or "Bahima", "Bahororo" and what have you.
But if the question is asked that when did the religion or tribe give you a blessing to go loot and kill in their name, will there be an answer ?
No, because these are people who are bent on looting our public property for narrow, selfish and shortsighted interests. Stealing hundreds of acres of public land may be achieved but will you take it with you to the grave? And in fact you will be buried on a very small piece of land if you are lucky, and lose the rest.
This is the story of murder, betrayal, suffering and deep injustice, where those in power abandoned their responsibility and looked the other way, or actively encouraged mobs to kill innocent people with impunity.
The problem had started years before when the crooks bankrupt leaders in Kampala and elsewhere deceived people in the towns and villages that Muslims are the problem. They set one group against the other, which resulted in massive bloodshed and suffering of innocent Ugandans who knew nothing about what was happening in the cities.
The report was prepared over 18 years ago, but the lessons are even more important and relevant today as unprincipled and blind sectarianism has been pumped to frightening levels. It is our hope that we will learn the lessons, and resolve the issues of injustice that still persist from this massacre.
We wish to thank Dr Abbas who compiled the original data, Makerere University Muslim Students Association (MUMSA), the people who submitted it to the editor, and all other patriotic Ugandans for not letting this story die from neglect. We owe you a debt of gratitude for your public service to our country. Thank you.
A REVIEW OF THE GENOCIDE THAT WAS CALLED LIBERATION
INTRODUCTION:
It is now coming to eleven years since the end of the war that ousted Idi Amin from the presidency of Uganda. Some people choose to identify this war by the gigantic name of “LIBERATION WAR”; but as the experience we are about to review will show, absurd is too weak a term to describe this shootout whose major highlight was the victimisation of the innocent. Those who followed issues through The Vicegerent newspaper in 1987 got an idea of what had happened in Bushenyi (Ankole) in 1979. When the Human Rights Commission was setup in 1987, it tried to side-track the issue by hearing evidence on every thing else except the massacre of over sixty Muslims. If Jumba Masagazi had not persisted and forced their hand, the issue may never have been among the concerns of that Commission.
However, when they finally addressed themselves to it, it was to pay lip service because hardly it been mentioned and they soon jumped off to other matters without hearing what the major witnesses had to say. They instead decided to emphasise the killing of Muslims at a mosque in Kajara. They propelled the name of Obeid Kamulegeya to prominence in association with the deaths of these Muslims and perhaps sought to imply that when Muslims die, it is a Muslim affair and in this, they were helped by the country’s largely anti-Muslim press.
The authorities at Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) were not very keen on the issue either; they wanted to forget anything that might put them in disfavour with the NRM government which some of them continually thanked. When the Vicegerent paper attempted to bring up the issue, a number of them were heard complaining that “these young boys want to bring us problems”. And in another development one of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council officials told the present writer face to face “we have more important issues to deal with”
At that rate, the issue that involved the murder of so many Ugandans steadily degenerating into a state of obscurity and misreported history. However, two organizations have refused to forget the issue; they are the Vicegerent newspaper and the Makerere University Muslim Students Association (MUMSA). We insisted that if we do not cause this issue to be redressed, then we shall soon be worthless. Our grand children would register that when Muslims are killed, it is non-issue. So we decided to visit Bushenyi with two aims: first to reassure the Muslims there that they were not alone in their pain, we were with them. Secondly to collect first-hand information from the survivors of the massacre so that we may confront those who wish to forget it with the real facts. We are therefore not merely interested in raking up unpleasant history that might destabilize peace. We believe the danger lies more in forgetting than remembering, if the peace we seek is to be permanent.
To that end, we made two trips to the scene of the 1979 massacres. The first one that took place in September, 1988 was composed of the following: Abasi Kiyimba, Imam Kasozi and Idris Semakula.
The second trip took place in February, 1989 and the team was composed of the following:
Abasi Kiyimba
, Hassan Mwesige
, Musa Tonda
, Ali Konge Kyeyune
and Ali Mwesigwa
- - THE FIRST TRIP - -
The first trip was mainly a familiarization tour. It introduced us to the people, both of Mbarara and Itendero. We enjoyed the hospitality of the chairman of the Muslim Committee of the area, Dr. AbdulMutwalib. We were able on this occasion to collect the general story and sequence of events from eye-witnesses. We also met among other venerable personalities, Sheikh Abdulmanafi Semakula, Bashir Semakula Serujuge and others. We also passed through Kyazanga in Masaka District where we made the acquaintance of several survivors who had run away from Itendero in the wake of the renewed hostilities against them. In particular we were welcomed and given a first-hand briefing by Hairat Nambi Segululigamba, a Muslim woman mobiliser in the area, and daughter of the great Muslim pioneer in Itendero, Hajji Abdallah Segululigamba, who was among the first victims of the 1979 massacre.
THE GENERAL STORY
The parish (Muluka) of Itendero is found in Bushenyi District. Islam has been a resident quality of the culture of the people in this part of the world since the close of the last century. For all the past years, Muslims and Christians are known to have lived together peacefully. During Amin’s time some of the Christians started getting discontented by the fact that the president of the country was a Muslim. They nursed this grudge and threatened that if there was a change in the countries leadership, the Muslim would “see” them. The trouble that culminated into the murder of more than 60 Muslims started long before the fall of Kampala on the 11th of April 1979.
1. March 1979
By March 1979, the town of Mbarara had fallen into the hands of the invading forces from Tanzania, providing the aggressors in this massacre an opportunity to harass their Muslim neighbours who because of the war situation had been left without a defender. The first incident was that in which four Muslim lives ended in cold-blood. In the village of Mbagwa in Kiziba sub-parish, a hostile group of Protestants attacked and killed
- Idi Tamukedde
- Mansur Mutebi (son of Idi Tamukedde)
- Mustapha Mabuye
- Abdallah Kyegombe
They were all killed in the house of Idd Tamuzadde and their Christian attackers kept guard over it to ensure that they were not buried. For two months, the bodies remained in the house. They were buried in May 1979 after the bold intervention of the then chief Khadhi, the late Sheikh Mulumba. It will be recalled that this period, the president was Yusuf Lule, a man who had converted from Islam, and turned a deaf ear to the outcry of the Muslim community. When on the 23rd May 1979, the Late Sheikh Kassim Mulumba proclaimed over the radio that the “Liberation” meant nothing to the Muslims, Lule was irritated. He is quoted as saying in response, that reports were extremely exaggerated. In any case, the killers not only went free, but were emboldened by the lack of care from government and did kill again, and again.
2. April 1979
This was the month in which the government of Idd Amin actually fell in Kampala. The harassment of Muslims intensified to nearly the entire district of Ankole. Kagango sub-county was the worst hit. Here Muslims lived in constant fear and experienced intensive harassment. More than 400 Muslims were detained without any charges, being Muslim was their only crime. They were forced to ransom themselves by paying dearly in form of money, cows, goats, sheep, bicycles, radios and other items their persecutors considered valuable. That of their property which their tormentors could not take was destroyed. For example houses were burnt and banana plantations cut down. A number of Muslims were forced to drink alcohol – a taboo according to their faith - while others died resisting it. In this month of April five prominent Muslims were murdered.
They were:
- Hajj Abasi Kayemba (former county chief Igara)
- Ismail Mutangizi (former senior Internal auditor, Ankole district)
- Haj Amiisi kapalaga (former county Imam, Bunyaruguru)
- Hajj Hassan Sewanyina (former sub-county Chief Isingiro).
These were killed on different days, and apparently according to an organized plan of harassment. All this time no restraining voice from government; the forces of oppression seemed to find justification and approval from this silence, and may be were not mistaken.
2. April 1979
Encouraged by the total helplessness of the Muslims, the Christians intensified their harassment with the following acts of violence:
-- Burning houses
-- Slashing all banana plantations
-- Looting property belonging to Muslims
-- Confiscating their land and turning it into grazing ground
-- Burning down mosques.
The burning of mosques was a fresh development conceived in May as part of the plan to completely exterminate Islam from the area. Among the Mosques burnt down in the county of Sheema were;
- Kashekuro
- Kiyungu.
- Kasana
- Kyengando
- Marembo
- Nyakanyinya
- Kyamata
- kihunda
- Kyamushakara.
These were the mosques burnt in only one county of Sheema; otherwise a total of 27 Mosques were burnt down in the whole of Ankole district.
Under the intensified house burning campaign of May, the following people lost their homesteads:
| No. |
Owner of the house |
Parish |
| 1 | Bashir Semakula | Kiziba |
| 2 | Abbas Mugoli | '' |
| 3 | Abdallah Katende | '' |
| 4 | Dauda Serujunge | '' |
| 5 | Hamad Katende | '' |
| 6 | Hassan Hamutambo | '' |
| 7 | Abbas Nsambu | '' |
| 8 | Dauda Serunjogi | '' |
| 9 | Ausi Semwogerere | '' |
| 10 | Abdu Ishngabashiaja | Kiziba |
| 11 | Mutwalibu Turyatunga | '' |
| 12 | Iddi Tamukedde * | '' |
| 13 | Abdallah Segululigamba * | Rwabutura |
| 14 | Jafar Kibirige | '' |
| 15 | Sulaiman Kapere | '' |
| 16 | Hiziri Byandala | '' |
| 17 | Rajab Kibadula | '' |
| 18 | Abduswamad Ntate | Kinyungu |
| 19 | Habib Maloge | '' |
| 20 | Imam Zikusoka | '' |
| 21 | Ishaka Magezi | '' |
| 22 | Ahmadda Mawanda | '' |
| 23 | Elias Mugerwa | '' |
| 24 | Abdu Murema | '' |
| 25 | Zaid Muwanga | '' |
| 26 | Umar Mutono | Rwengando |
| 27 | Haruna Musajjaakawa | Nyakabira |
| 28 | Noor Mulefu | '' |
| 29 | Abdunoor Mulele * | '' |
| 30 | Abdunoor Sebalu | '' |
| 31 | Abubakar Kadala | '' |
| 32 | Ismail Balindekawa | '' |
| 33 | Anat Nankya | '' |
| 34 | Hajjat Hadijah (Kalijja) | '' |
| 35 | Hajji Byekwaso | Ishaka |
| 36 | Idi Bintubizibu | Kigarama |
| 37 | Musa Mwebe | '' |
| 38 | Abdu Katarikaawe | '' |
| 39 | Kasim Barukayo | '' |
| 40 | Musa Rwabihuro | Kagango |
| 41 | Muhammad Mbidde | '' |
| 42 | Abbas Toronwa | '' |
| 43 | Sulaiman Sengahaki | '' |
| 44 | Ahmada Kasozi | '' |
| 45 | Hajji Kasule | '' |
* A number of Muslims whose houses were burnt, like Abdallah Segululigamba, Idd Tamukedde, Abdunoor Mulele, etc were also murdered before, during or after their homes had been attacked. Others only saved lives by running away in time. This list is not exhaustive, houses belonging to Muslims were burnt down in other parts of Ankole e.g. in Kijara and Mbarara town.
2. April 1979
The month of June marked the climax of the atrocities committed against the Muslims of the area. By this time Lule’s government had been in power for about two months. Nothing had been done to the offenders, so they assumed, and rightly so, to the everlasting grief of their victims, that the same crimes could be committed again with impunity. As if to add fuel to the fire Edward Rurangaranga, a prominent government figure addressed public meetings in the area, in which he would make it clear that the people he was addressing were in two categories: “Amin’s men” and “the others”.
The old Sheikh Abdulmanaf quotes Rurangaranga as saying to the non-Muslim members at the gathering that: “We have finished the stem (Amin),the branches (Muslims)are yours”. With that prompring, the Protestants got even more hostile and right away started by verbally harassing the Muslims. They told them they would get them, sooner or later. A plan was hatched and all the non-Muslims alerted. Some of them were not in favour of the proposed action, so they leaked it to their Muslim friends. But the majority agreed to the plan and waited for an opportunity to implement it.
The spark came on Monday 25th June 1979. Fenekansi Kamisha, a Christian was murdered in his house by assailants that have not been identified up to now. The Christians accused Muslims of the murder, and proceeded to execute “justice”. Kamisha was one of the people that had earlier led mobs of Christians to harass Muslims and collect ransom from them.
On the morning of Tuesday 26th June, 1979, a mob of Christians armed with spears, knives and ropes, started rounding up Muslims and tying their hands behind their backs. They said that they were doing it on the orders of Yoweri Museveni the then minister of defence. They were led by Bankutaha, and included Machote, Buchuku, Yoram, Kamugisha, Rweizire, Rwanuma, Kategaya, Nyamugurusi, Eridadi and others. They gathered the Muslims in the home of Abdallah Segululigmba from where they marched them to Rwizi river to be executed one after the other. At the river Muslims were butchered in the most horrifying manner. There was one whose head was cut into three pieces before being finally thrown into the river. Other cases included those whose hands or legs were cut off, then thrown into the river to drown. The Imam Abdallah Segululigamba was mercilessly hacked in the middle with a machete and thrown into the river. The most memorable of these cases of cruelty is the 27 year old Madiya Natende who was seven months pregnant. Her stomach was slashed open with a machete and the fetus crudely ripped out. Needless to say, she died soon thereafter. Madiya’s mother watched all this, and she would retell it to the end of her earthly days. She herself survived the execution. As if by a miracle, she jumped into the water before her turn to be butchered came up.
We shall never learn the full story of the manners of death and the nature of the suffering that the dead people went through because it co only be told by them.
The following were the people who were killed at the river Rwizi in June 1979.
| No. |
Names |
| ADULT MALES |
| 1 | Abdallah Segluligamba |
| 2 | Abubaker Katongole |
| 3 | Abdu Ishangabashaija |
| 4 | Nashir Semwogerere |
| 5 | Ismail Sempa |
| 6 | Bruhane Sentende |
| 7 | Idris Serujunge |
| 8 | Umar Nsamba |
| 9 | Hussein Serunjogi |
| ADULT FEMALES |
| 1 | Haliima Kinana |
| 2 | Hariat Namakula |
| 3 | Hadija Namayanja |
| 4 | Aisha Kasule |
| 5 | Hadija Mukibi |
| 6 | Sania Nalubega |
| 7 | HaliimaNabatanzi |
| 8 | Hadija Nanteza |
| 9 | Zuhra Namakula |
| 10 | Naira Nabunya |
| 11 | Mariam Tibanagwa |
| 12 | Bint Juma Nakayenga |
| 13 | Mastula Nakato |
| 14 | Layusa Bakazibaguma |
| 15 | Nafsi Nabatanzi |
| 16 | Nuliat Mbabazi |
| 17 | Aisha Nalongo |
| 18 | Zaituna Namakula |
| 19 | Zaina Namakula |
| 20 | Aidat Kenyana |
| 21 | Amana Nantande |
| 22 | Nuliat Kaweesa |
| 23 | Hadija Kayinda |
| CHILDREN |
| 1 | Nuliat Namakula |
| 2 | Abdu Katende |
| 3 | Madina Nabukalu |
| 4 | Luuba Namakula |
| 5 | Zainab Nakayinda |
| 6 | Aisha Nantende |
| 7 | Madia Namakula |
| 8 | Taha Habyalimana |
| 9 | Mariam Nabukalu |
| 10 | Madina Nakawesa |
| 11 | Hamida Nansamba |
| 12 | Naziru Nsamba |
| 13 | Muzida Nsamba |
| 14 | Ibrahim Kabuye |
| 15 | Zinab Nabunya |
| 16 | Rehema Nakachwa |
| 17 | Luub Magala |
| 18 | Muzaphar Kabuye |
| 19 | Ismail Kato |
| 20 | Khamiyat Nabukalu |
| 21 | Hadija Nassaka |
| 22 | Haliima Nbatanzi |
| 23 | Bitijuma Nakayanja |
Total number murdered: 55 people
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It cannot be proclaimed that these atrocities in any way took a form of political struggle, or war casualties. It was pure cold blooded murder. Some of the people killed were very old men and women and others very young children.
Abubaker Katongole was 80 years old, Segululigamba was 75, Haliima Nbatanzi was 80, Aisha Katendewas 85, Nuliat Nmakula was 2 years, Hamida Nansmab was only 1 and a half and most of the children were generally below 5 years old.
It should also be noted that the above list here includes only those people from one county and not all of them were recorded. The names of the rest of the people who died throughout Ankole District are not available to us, though the list is certainly much, much longer. In addition, it was not even possible to recover all the bodies of the people known to have died. For example of the sixty four people we recorded here, only 36 bodies wee recovered from the river in which they were thrown. They were hastily buried in a time of great fear and distress, with intimidation being carried out by government soldiers (the purported “liberators”), and other government officials whose duty should have been to protect all citizens. It was not possible to burry them in their homes as this was “a danger zone”; so they were buried in mass graves at Nyamitanga mosque. The survivors fled the area and went to settle in Kyazanga in Masaka District, leaving their land to be occupied by their tormentors
1980-85
This was the time that has come to be referred to as Obote II, when A. M. Obote assumed the presidency for the second time. People like Edward Rurangaranga who had directed the persecution of Muslims assumed offices of responsibility, he was state minister of local government in the Obote II government. And together with him in government were a number of people of ill-will., who had knowledge of these tragic events.
For those Muslims who chose to stay in the area, harassment continued; it took the form of psychological harassment, intimidation, denial of participation in public affairs etc. Every year, under the slogan of Bushenyi 1, Bushenyi 2 etc, president Obote and his men gathered in the same district of Bushenyi to mark the date of Obote’s return to Uganda on 27 May 1980.
For the Muslims of Ankole, this event was a painful reminder of the time when they were deprived of their rights as citizens of this country. Muslim founded primary schools were abandoned, mosques neglected and orphans went without education, food, and clothing. The leaders of Uganda Muslim Supreme Council were busy quarrelling among themselves and seeking the support of non-Muslims in their incessant factional struggles. For all practical purposes, the world seemed to have forgotten these unfortunate people. The events of 1979 were not even history, because at the very least, history is recorded.
The question that tormented those of us that bothered to think about them was: Is it possible to forget these people and rest with a free conscience? The answer is NO! It was necessary for us not just to record the general story, but to get the minute details as well, that is why it was necessary to make a second trip.
Part 2: "the second trip" will be published over the weekend
Readers Comments:
16 Aug 2008
1.
Re: The Mbarara Massacre: Part 1
I'm greatly encouraged by this long overdue report of the Mbarara massacre, unfortunately just one of many, many massacres our country has experienced. Such exposures are a necessary part of a "truth and reconciliation" process that should idealy be devoid of any bias or partisan interest. A process greatly aided by the medium provided by Radio Katwe, and without which Uganda's true problems can only be superficially bandaged over and never fully resolved. To totally heal old wounds, we sometimes have to open them up, painfully scrub, clean, disinfect and air them. Otherwise they continue to fester dangerously underneath a deceptive scab.
In the interest of such unbiased and total exposure and healing, I would like to point out that the writers' brief "context" laid out in the introduction or background of the document falls far, far short of this level of impartiality and completeness. The introduction does not mention, for example, the unparalleled brutality of the 8-year Idi Amin regime or its use of sections of the Muslim and "Nubian" and other ethnic communities in murdering and brutalising the Ugandan population from day one of his military coup d'etat, singling out first thousands of Acholi and Langi soldiers and police officers and eventually widening the net of victims to include Iteso, Baganda, Basoga, Banyankole, Lugbara, students' and just about every ethnic group and social class, including members of his own family, cabinet, and other high ranking government officials and heads of parastatals.
Historians and first-hand witnesses report that in the eight years of Idi Amin's rule, hundreds of thousands were murdered in cold blood openly in army barracks, cities, countryside, by firing squad, in the notorious State Research Bureau, or disappeared without a trace - (the list is long), including the Archbishop of the "protestant" Church of Uganda during the period of centenary celebrations of the church. Unfortunately, none of the perpetrators of these crimes has ever been brought to account, and any living victims have long since given up any hope of getting justice.
Unfortunately too, during the time of these crimes and atrocities, Ugandans heard absolutely no objection or condemnation of these injustices or barbarous acts from the spokesmen of the Muslim community, but only "mauledi" after "mauledi" celebration, or so it seemed.
The introduction again does not mention the culture of "entitlement" and impunity in the rampant grabbing of wealth and assets from other Ugandans for the benefit of some Muslims, "Nubians" and a few other chosen people at the expense of the majority of Ugandans. This spirit was most eloquently illustrated by the unlawful and disproportionate allocation of the expelled Asians' businesses, houses, cars, and other favours, breeding the "mafuta mingi" culture among many in that facet of the community, while everyone else felt utterly deprived and oppressed, lacking even the barest necessities (unless they had could afford goods on the black market), and living under a climate of constant fear. It is unfortunate that all Muslims came to be associated with this beneficiary clique whether it was justified or not.
And yes, in the perception of the deprived and oppressed of the time, April 1979 was "liberation" though we also have to recognize that it was not "liberation" to a smaller facet of the Ugandan community whose fortunes changed for the worse as many of their privileges and benefits disappeared overnight. We also have to recognize that there was such lawlessness in the vacuum left following the "liberation" that a looting spree and other vengeful crimes and murders, such as the Mbarara massacre of Muslims went largely unchecked and were even committed with glee.
My suggestion - to include a more complete, unbiased background and context to the massacre account - is in no way meant to condone or even justify the massacre of 60 Muslims in Mbarara. No, even one murder is totally unacceptable, and I condemn the Mbarara massacre in the strongest possible terms. Rather, it is meant to promote the effectiveness of such exposures in the national healing process for our wounded and still bleeding nation and citizens otherwise many might experience the unhelpful and non-healing kind of opening of old wounds without a thorough cleansing, especially if such accounts appear skewed in favour of one side while seeming to ignore or mask injustices and atrocities against another. One more suggestion would be to more accurately entitle the account something like "genocide in the midst of a liberation war".
To moralise a little, we have to begin valuing every single Ugandan's life, human rights, and property rights irrespective of their ethnic origin, geographical location or religious persuasion, and irrespective of the perpetrator. A first step is speaking up in condemnation of each and every incident of injustice or extra-judicial killing whether it occurs in the north, south, east, west or abroad. Another vital step we unfortunately haven't yet embraced is publicly and overtly demonstrating support for the rights of all, whether they are three Buganda Kingdom ministers in Kampala, 300 Barlonyo massacre victims in Lira, or 60 Muslims in Mbarara.
Thank you,
Tell-it-as-it-is Citizen
Radio Katwe replies:
Dear Citizen "Tell-it-as-it-is",
Thank you for your wise and passionate views. This is the spirit which we hope most Ugandans will embrace, of openly discussing the unmentionable things of our violent history.
This includes saying things as you see them, which may not be the best or correct way, but at least you air then others can correct by saying the accurate facts. So mistakes and biases are welcome, as we hope concerned citizens will put the record straight.
The introduction's point was that in Uganda, it is not the crime, but the person who does it that matters. When it is "those people" like so called "northerners" who are doing crimes, we get so angry and pick up guns to fight back. But when it is one of our own group doing the same things, we just look on and keep quiet. Or we say let us talk and criticise quietly in the background, like civilised people, but whatever the circumstances there should be no radical steps like fighting. why is this?
There are so many examples of this double standard, let us give this one which maybe is still fresh in peoples mind, this one of MUSHEGA: WHY I AM NOT NRM
The reasons which took former NRM man Mushega to the bush are still with us today.
-- He said mistreatment of Vice Chairman of the Military Commission Museveni really annoyed him. When they captured power, did it stop? You consider how Mushega's colleague Dr Besigye lives like an endangered species today. Unless you are a kiwani but for a real rival, the Museveni regime is just as deadly to perceived opponents.
-- Like their former UPC partisans, NRM 'activists' within and without the security forces act with impunity.
-- Some of his associates were the leading looters of public wealth until they were chased off the high table. Now they are the leading sellers of these bankrupt sectarian ideas which we criticised, that “We Bahororo, we are closely related and if you attack one, we all react.”
-- Torture chambers called "safe houses" dot the city.
-- Elections are still gleefully stolen.
All these things are not new, but did you hear Mushega's voice of criticism in those days when they had just started?
Mr Mushega was right to get so angry with Obote's men who mistreated and murdered Ugandans, but is CMI any different from the Oyite Ojoks of those days?
Around 1987 when NRA had just started burning villages, looting, torturing, raping and killing (scorched earth policy) in the east and north of the country, Museveni was minister of defense, and guess who was his Assistant Minister of Defense/Chief Political Commissar?
For a very small sample of the atrocities that took place by NRA, see "Eyewitness to massive atrocities by Museveni's army in Teso speaks out" 04 Sept 2007 and "How ISO officer Katsigazi tortured, killed people in Teso in 1987" 06 Sept 2007 on the front page
Since his boss likes to micro-manage everything, Defense minister Mushega may not be responsible but what did he do or say about it at that time when he was in position to influence? Where was the outrage?
What did he do to stop it or help the victims?
In his long career as minister of Public Service, Education, Local Government, Defense etc Mushega may not have supported these things, it is only him who can say what he thinks about that.
The point here is only to show the case of double standards. When it is our tribesmen and colleagues doing it, we don't react so harshly. We give time for 'misbehaving' leaders to make mistakes and perhaps learn. Even if those 'mistakes' include destroying many lives and the whole country. But when someone else does the same thing, the solution is taking up the gun and killing. This means the problem is the person, not the crime which has been done. If it was not so, we would have heard voices of dissent and condemnation right from the start. This regime did not begin to rot just yesterday.
Many of Mr Mushega's views are very sound, as part of his presentation to the Parliamentary Committee on the Land Amendmant Act, here is what he said about genocide and sectarianism. We encourage you to download it, to gain some very good points he made.
http://mushegaconsultants.com/docs/parliament.pdf
"The real planners of these gustily [sic. ghastly] things, usually run away. Those who have
planned and prepared for and inspired genocide, be it Hitler, in Rwanda,
Amenia, East Pakistan, were never just talkers only or ordinary people. They
were planned and incited by those holding power. Sectarianism, like genocide
is never put in effect by those who just talk, much as I condemn them. It is
mainly those, who practice it, even when they talk the opposite or nicely. Any
leader worth his salt, should be talking about putting in place and
strengthening institutions, practices, mechanisms and laws etc that make it
impossible for such things to happen, or to nip in the bud any attempt"
If people like Mushega had taken a strong, loud and clear stand like this right from the beginning, if they had acted decisively when they had the power, instead of now when they are outside, perhaps the monster called Museveni and his NRM could have been nipped in the bud.
17 Aug 2008
2.
Amanya Mushega
Unfortunately, it is people like Amanya Mushega who put M7 in power. How long did it him to realize that M7 was up to no good?
By the way, when did Mushega fall out with M7? I know for a fact that he enjoyed the loot, and so did his family. I remember the expensive trips the wife made to Washington D.C. for medical treatment; as if Uganda had no hospitals. Mind you, these are the "real patriots" who went to the bush to fight for their country. Mind you, these would be just weekend visits. And the sponsor? You guessed right. the Ugandan tax payer. How about the Uganda scholarships that he diverted to his family? How about the customs free entrance in and out of Uganda the family enjoyed? Those are just a few skinny examples. There is whole list of them. To now turn and talk tough, do you guys really trust these "bush" people? PLEASE DON'T. History has a way of repeating itself.
Name Withheld
3.
Dear Readers and Editors of RK,
The people who did the reseach on the Muslim massacres of the 1979 did a very good reseach. But, the problems are;
1) They have failed to admit that there was no problem between Moslems and Christians until Idi Amin came into power.
2) They don't want to admit that there were quite a few Muslims who used the regime to terrorise other religions. As I remember being in school in Northern Uganda, the Muslims there were so arrogant, they would ask you if you would want ot convert into Islam and you better say yes otherwise you would be dead. They wanted to instate the Sharia Law and the local Muslims who did not even understand the law well, would enforce them on their neighbours. If you quarrel with your Muslin neighbour, be rest assured that you would not live to see the next day or even the next hours.
3) They are bent on sympathies and not appologies to the many christian who suffered under their rule.
4) Many many more Christians were murdered compared to the 65 Muslims killed and I am not saying that they deserved the deaths but rather, the Muslim community should give appologies on behalves of those Muslims who tormented the rest of Ugnadan in the 1970s.
NO ONE SHOULD LOSE A LIFE INNOCENTLY OR EVEN IF THEY HAVE WRONGED ANYBODY....NO ONE DISERVES TO DIE IN THE HAND OF ANOTHER PERSON and ONLY GOD SHOULD TAKE AWAY OUR LIFE.
In response to Mr. Mushega's article;
Mr. Mushega might have gone to the bush with good intentions and like the Bidandis and the Bsigyes, they were all deceived and they all thought that Museveni was fighting for the same causes as they were made to believe but they had not realised that Museveni had stolen so many intellignet informations from the government since the 1970s.
In the '70s Museveni was getting his intelligents from the boys in state research and the FRONASA boys so when he came back in 1979, he had already made up his mind to stage a war. Elelction rigging was just an excuse used by Museveni to start a war.
My question is, why is it that elections are always easily rigged in western Uganda than anywhere else?. Even in all these past elections, it has not been easy for elections to be rigged in the north.
mr. Mushega is talking about the best education since 1986, is this man really educated? The only children going to school and getting educations are the children of those 5% of the rich population who can afford to send their children to good schools!
There are no medical facilitites with adequate medical personnels and medicines and Mr. Mushega thinks that this is developement? CRAP!!
LET HIM tell us how well the children of Luwero and Acholi are doing.
Mr. Mushega has not condemned his friend Museveni on the human mutilations of the Acholi people which were done by his army and blamed Kony for it. We can't accept any of these excuses when he is still praising the monster.
The issue of past governments rigging and other problems was alse fueled by certain individuals such as the late Grace Ibingira. Mr. Ibingira had such hatreds for the Acholis and the Lwos at large. He supposedly made a statement in one of East Africa's meeting which was attended by several Lwos from Uganda and Kenya in the present of the late Tom Mboya that these "Lwos are very strong people and should not be allowed to rise", these were supposedly laughed off by those lwos who were attending the meeting but now they are reflecting back on this statement. In the 1970s Mr. Grace Ibingira used to mobilise Ugandan youth in the US to go the bush to join a movement that was going to start SOON and that was how the movement began recruiting the kadogos. There are some people from eastern Uganda who were student in the 1970s in the USA and they now confirm that Mr. Ibingira used to call them and he would try to persuade them to join them to fight the Uganda government. This movement was something hatched way before 1979/1981 by the FRONASA and some of the people in western Uganda.
During my school years in the north in the early 1070s, a certain airfoce pilot from Jinja by the name Andrew Mukooza(R.I.P) WARNED the officers from northern Uganda that they(from southern Uganda) were back after being trained in Israel to "revenge" for what Obote had done to the Kabaka in the 1960s. This Mukooza was one of the FRONASA boys. The killings of the Acholis in the army started in the late 1960s, several road accidents being blamed on collusions with the army lorries and many jet fighter crashes which killed an uncle of mine at a very young age and then followed by the murder of Mr. Okoya and his wife.
What I am trying to say here is that the south and the west had master plan to kill the Acholis for what Obote's govenment did to the Kabaka in the 60s. Why is it that no Muganda has ever tried to put Mr. Binaisa on the dock for ordering the Lubiri to be stormed and yet the army did what they did with order from the attorney general and the commander in chief? mr. Binaisa approved the storming which was as good as a court order and Mrs. Obote as recently said that the government had to do what they did because the Bagandas were cutting roads all over in Buganda. So, with all those, the Acholis had to suffer and yet Oobte was not even an Acholi.
Museveni was humiliated by the Uganda government because there was suspecion that he was oraganizing something.
Mr.Mushega can't say that they came to power to liberate people when this was a plan in place long ago by Mr. Grace Ibingira who happened to have come from western Uganda and had some hatreds for the Acholis. Mr. Ibingira and Museveni worked togehter and later what happened to him? Like everyone who gets involved with Museveni, where do they end up? Mr. Ibingira did not live to enjoy his efforts in helping Museveni get to where he is now.
The truth is, Museveni went to the bush for a totally different reason than what some of his followers were made to believe. What he said to convince the likes of the Mushegas to go the bush was totally different from what his aims were. He(Museveni) used the Buganda incident to stage a war and to get support from Buganda and the Buganda sympathisers.
Mr. Mushega, you and Museveni killed and MUTILATED the Acholis and we can not forget that, your explanations aren't good enough.
Some of us were friendly with some of those student Mr. Iibngira was recruiting so we know what happened. Only that we were so young and naive and we never believed that the plan would actually be hatched. As children, and youth, we used to talk among ourselves and some of the students from especially eastern Uganda in the USA, were trusted but not us from the north and they would be invitied to meetings, sometimes and most of the time hosted by Mr. Ibingira who used to live in Tarrytown, New York and I must say that I knew exactly where he lived because I also lived in New York City. Some of those students would tell us that Mr. Ibingira had hosted meetings with some students from Southern, western, and eastern Uganda and he wants them to go to the bush to fight for their country. We as northerners were not spposed to know about these meetings.
If you asked any westerner what the meeting was about, he/she would say that we're planning a wedding, graduations, etc. Mr. Ibingira and Museveni had the utmost hatred for the Acholis.
Mr. Mushega, just because you and your friends and families are doing well, that is just about 5% of you Ugandans and your children are in good schools, the education system and standard in Uganda has spiralled downward since 1986. Is the education system/standard fair when there is no more than 3 students getting first grade from the whole of Acholi districts. This is to show us that you don't see The problems of the Acholis as anything but just as let them perish in anyway possible!!!!!!!
Furthermore the Mushegas and the likes, all their children had the better system of education in Uganda in the '70s,'80s, and part of the '90s before it all hit rock bottom.
Some parts of your writings are good but for the most parts, I do not agree with most of the excuses you have given.
NYAR ACHOLI who loves and CARES ABOUT UGANDA and her PEOPLE.
LUBANGA OKONY DANO ME UGANDA DUCU MA GITYE ICING ATUNYA MAN!!
18 Aug 2008
4.
DEAR RK,
Thanks for the news of, the Mbarara Massacre Muslims genocide.
I'm one of child of the late Sonko of Omurwera Trading Center but now live in Kampala, Uganda.
My father (Sonko) was apromimnet Muselim business man in Kitagwenda Kabarole South in the western Province, he had a fishing License, boats, operating on the Mahyoro landing site on Lake George. He was exporting dry fish to Rwanda, and Eastern Congo. He had transport business, 3 Toyota Stout Pick ups for transporting dry Fish for other businessmen at Mahyoro and Kayinja landing site eastern of Mahyoro site.
My father had a gun license but had never used it wrongly, people of Kitagwenda, now Kamwenge district will bear witness on this.
All Muslims of the then Kicheche Gombolola at Omurwera Trading Center, Kitagwenda by then Kabarole South, Tooro District, Western Province, now Kamwenge District. After the fall of Idi Amin in 1979 persons of the Christian origin let by two brothers of Katego Village, Sezi Galizokas and Katebarirwe destroyed my fathers plantation by cutting it clean.
My father run away, helped by Mzee Hajji Kadingidi of Bunyaruguru.
When the situation calmed down he returned, he found out the Tanzania Soldiers Known as ( Bakombozi) had taken his Peugeot Saloon White Car, and One of his Lovely Green Toyota Stout Pick up nick named 'Muyaga Mpewo'. He claimed it after some time but had been turned into scrap but lost the Saloon Car. My father resumed his business, with hardships since his bank accounts in Mbarara and Kabaale Banks were frozen by the then Yoweri Museveni, immediately when Tanzanian Soldiers under his command (the Bankombozi) crossed into Uganda in the Western Axis. My father like other Muslims in western Uganda lost property and Money in Banks, on orders of his FRONASA spies, on allegation that my father was the agent of Idi Amin. My father had nothing to do with Amins mistakes he had genuine business. Most of his business were between Rwanada, Tanzania and Eastern Congo. It was very clear, my father, rose to prominence because he had Toyota Stout Pick Up, transport and the Fishing License.
Under Obote II My father lodged a case with assistance from one Hajji Abasi and one Lawyer (not mentioned) of Mbarara to recover his money that was held under the pretext that my father was an agent of Amin.
Yoweri Museveni learned of my fathers action to have sued the government. As a minister of Defense he sent a team of spies to investigate about my fathers business, he learned of this and never went far with the case but never closed it.
Museveni went to the bush and later came to power, he never forget my father case, because this among others cases that would implicate him , and this would tarnish his image as a liberator.
Museveni planted Timothy (a boy Soldier) home area of Omukakasi between Kihumuro Trading and Rugalama Trading center in Mahyoro Gombolola Kamwenge District. His duty was to monitor my fathers business, put my father under 24 hour surveillance. Timothy hails from this area, along the main road to Mahyro, this was my father main route.
One day Timothy followed my father to Kabaale, using public transport, as his daily routine job. When my father (Sonko) sold off his full pick up of dry fish this Soldier boy approached my father asking for help of free transport to Kakasi Kitagwenda. One person (name with held) was present and witnessed all this. My father accepted to help Timothy( boy Soldier) in civilian clothes. He had not Identified the boy but the other friend of my father warned him that the boy is a soldier, under State House and he is armed. My father said, 'by the Grace of God I'm a Muslim I should help this boy he is harmless'.
Fathers friends aarived, he was dropped off and left only Timothy he boy soldier. We learned of this after our father was found murdered at Omukakasi forest.
People who heard the bullet shots, had heard my father asking for leniency, and Mercy, speaking in the local language, begging him to take the money but save his life. They saw Timothy, the son of an immigrant in the area, running to the other side of the forest with a bag of money. Little was found held in my fathers dead hands, while the Toyota Stout pickup was parked along the road. What did Museveni do? He is liar!
He now says he will compensate the Mukula victims, BUT WHO ORDERED THE THEM TO BE LOCKED IN THE WAGON AND LATER KILLED? Has he/they been punished? He heads the Security groups.
A case was reported against this boy soldier (nowadays a man) but there has never been any thing done to him.
Timothy killed my father, this soldier is still serving the Murderer, he currently in PGB. He is the person who looks quiet and very mild mannered, you cant imagine he can take such an operation and murder.
Mr. Katebarirwe's son, the family that destroyed my fathers plantation namely Mr. Bekunda is working with mechanical section, PGB. He is available also looks like a simple Soldier but very dangerous.
We are quiet because we cant do anything. Fellow Ugandans and Radio Katwe, We have been left without any thing! My step mother M/s Kapiki in Mahyoro is the one struggling to survive, with one Engine boat business.
Our hopes were in the hands of our father but we all orphans with out help. My fathers fortune/ money was lost in the hands of Yoweri Museveni who killed my father.
The rest of the family is quiet and lying low as we are still under 24 hour surveillance by the Katebarirwe Family, who have the links to State House and Timothy the PBG officer, who was in charge of the murder of our father. We as the family we have alot to say. Some years ago our family members, brothers of Sonko My father were named as aiding the ADF rebels, this was just to scare into silence.
Bothers and sister all you people of God come out and expose this mans actions, and intentions to silence the Muslim community, who lost dear parents.
5.
Dear RK Editors,
Please thank you again and again for your valuable services. Every time I open your site there are more suprises.
Concerning the massacre of Muslims in Bushenyi; most of us only could imagine what might have happened. Now that it is in ink on paper; those who commited the crime may have less sleep.
Sometimes I think we are not all human beings. Some people expecially those who take onto power are beasts, nothing less. For example to hack fellow human beings not in self-defense, they way it was graphically put by the report, can't be a human act but beast.
Don't you see Museveni these days looks like an ET extra terrestrial being.
6.
A comment to the mbarara massacre.
Thx to the Radiokatwe management.And too, to you readers.I cherish who ever endevaours to let ugandans recall of the astrocities the last and present governments have done either on orders of the top most people or on accounts of vengence.
Although, the reactions have appeared too many now uncovering much, i feel that we should not do it on grounds of history, religion, ethinicity or status we held or now we hold, but as Ugandans who shouold be living more as one. Thus i now condemn the findings of the our most educated moslems from the highest hill of learning, though thx for trials.
On those moslems who lost their family members on the eve of the 1979 liberation, i only sympathise not empathise, because you might not be responsible for their deeds, but somehow you knew and know very well, what they did.
On the grounds of the then Igara county chief, Haji Kayemba, the Bushenyians know very well what he did. For more infomation ask Mr Beyimukye the father of Apole Beyimukye ,now prominent bussiness man in Ishaka, whom kayemba told face to face, that if the invasion by Tanzanians turns into a failure, his head would be his cooking stone [Eyihega in kinyankore]. Dont foget that there were many moslems in ishaka, but why kayemba was killed and Haji byekwaso harrassed? But some, the likes of Bassajabalba were never harrassed by either government nor neighbours? because they lived as before the reign of Amin as good citizens.
Now this is the reason why? Haji Kayemba is responsible for all people who disappeared in the bushenyi ditrict. This was proved by the books and documents that were discovered from Haji Kayemba's ceiling in Ishaka town by the Tanzanianz[abakombozi] with help of Kayemba's friends who were never pleased by his actions. After he has run to Bunyaruguru at Haji kadigindi's home where he was arrested from and killed at kabatoro on the Mbarara- Kasese highway.
As a ugandan I hate this layed findings bedause it still explains what was really on scene during the rein of Idi Amin. If They can still discriminate the deaths to only 60 moslems then what percentage accounts for the rest 99940[nine hundred thousand nine hundred and forty]ugandans that died during the Amins era? It explains what they can do if arrowed back. Don't forget that uganda was being pushed onto forced islamisation, if not good pressure from our beloved Julius Nyerere and our then Ugandan Exilees.
So as ugandans,while as we blame the deaths of thousands, On the dictotor Amin,we should keep in mind, the Museven's adage of "terrorise and blame", this was surpported by his own words in the "mustared seed" that "all whom Amin killed were the rebles". that's who died were either pro government or anti government, then ask yourselves who killed who ,and on whose orders.
As matter of fact, is dat people died, and they are stil dying. as political hunters,but the best is they were never nor they are being killed by one man[president]but rather by many people who are seated on the truth irrespective of who odered or who orders.
My brothers, act as Ugandans and spill the beans, for our best government. Because sometimes we blame the innocent.while the guilty ones blosom. May we ran Uganda as ugandans, with total absence of ones origin,religion,education or ethinicity.
I wish u all,the best heart as ugandans.
Karyamon@yahoo.com
22 Aug 2008
7.
Dear Name withheld,
Mushega and his family enjoying the loot - it is not true. A falsehood.
You asked the correct question notably "when did Mushega fall out with M7?". But then in an attempt to build your argument you made several falsehoods. I have since carried out a review of your assertions and wish to give the following findings:
1.
I dare say Mr. Amanya-Mushega may have not fallen out with Museveni. Not yet. His virtues are that he is able to tell the truth. Mushega is a frustrated man. Frustrated by President Museveni and he complains about the latter openly. But as you continue to talk with him, you get the feeling that he and President Museveni are still friends. The feeling of comradeship has stuck to Mr. Mushega like a habit.
2.
About Mushega's wife taking expensive trips abroad for treatment. It is true Mushega's wife required and obtained medical treatment and she took this in the USA. The Mushega family attempted to get the best available treatment in Uganda but it was not working out. We all know the Health sector under Museveni's Government has gone to the dogs. Yes, the dogs and not even him the President can trust it with his family. You are spot on to observer thus "as if Uganda had no hospital's". Surely, with any serious illness in Uganda you will perish or survive by simply the grace of God. I know of a Lady MP from Bushenyi who died because the referral hospital she was attending could not provide oxygen! What is interesting is that Alex's treatment abroad was completely financed from personal resources of the family and contributions by friends. Government did not pay for her treatment.
3.
Scholarships for his family - This is a fabrication. Mushega has many brothers and sisters. Not one, I repeat not one of these has ever accessed a scholarship either from the Ministry or State house. They have studied on their own gas and none of them has got an international or even national scholarship since Mushega came into Government. His children like those of several other residents in Kampala initially attended UPE schools and later moved to Kampala Parents School. After he had left the Ministry of Education some were educated in south Africa but this was from his income as a Secretary General to the East Africa Community. He even had to sell his land and cattle to pay school fees for his children and those he was forced to adopt. Mind you several of these are not even from his native Ankole! The danger with Mushega is that he tends to give the best to others and consider his own last!
I am not saying Mr. Mushega is an angel. Far from it. He had his short-comings including failing to correctly read the political map and understand his friend Museveni's intentions as far back as the early 1990's. He has also never admitted to seeing any wrong doing on the part of his friend Jim Muhwezi that warranted the latter's parliamentary censure in 1997. His handling of the PTC saga in 1999 was also far from trasparent whatever the forces were working behind the scenes. But much as we may not agree with him, telling falsehoods about Mr. Mushega or any other person is wrong however appealing it may be.
Sincerely,
Rutanama na Bigomba
Ntungamo
29 Aug 2008
8.
Thanks RK,
This is in connection with one of your letters posted on 17th August 2008 in which the author of the letter was in away trying to put on carpet Retired Col Amanya Mushega for his views in one of Observer news paper.
My challenge to him is that he seems to know more about the activities Amanya Mushega and his family were involved in while he was still a darling of Museveni "son of Kaguta" and before he was phased out of the kraal. He is indeed one of those who in one of the debates defended his comrades excesses after they had captured power with excuse that when they went to the bush they did not go there to be married to poverty or something to that effect. But the reader would do more of service to RK readers if he spilled the beans so that people who do not know the other side of Col Mushega may know and stop taking him at surface value.
I would also challenge Amanya Mushega to come out boldly and join other forces that can help the people of Uganda to be saved from black colonialists who have decended on Uganda population and made them slaves in their own country.
RK Reader
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