The long serving, and increasingly senile Ugandan dictator Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Museveni is facing the threat of a military coup detat by senior army officers.

The coup which has been brewing for the past few months might explode at any time. Security sources inside State House, Entebbe have confirmed a report that the dictator had been signaled to surrender peacefully or face a revolt by senior army commanders.

Reports say, the simmering coup is rooted in the feelings by senior army commanders that they are being used and abused by and for the the purpose of securing the presidents hold on political power and to enable him and his extended family to continue looting Uganda's resources with impunity.

The bungled operation against the ever elusive Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) leader Joseph Kony, seems to have been the new factor that has brought the already deteriorated situation to a head.

Security officials confirmed that none of the senior political, intelligence, police or military leaders was aware of Uganda's planned deployment of troops against Joseph Kony in Garamba, DRC until after the event. The officer said, "neither the Army Commander nor the intelligence chiefs were notified of the operation Operation Lightening Thunder that has flopped from every angle of military evaluation."

Moreover, the whole operation is technically illegal. The Uganda Parliament is the only body under the constitution empowered to authorise deployment of Uganda troops in a foreign land but no attempt was made to use any of the various means to satisfy that requirement. The UPDF is in effect a rogue force in Congo, and the whole operation a private "family affair". The men and officers have been made vulnerable to unforeseen legal challenges from within and without the country. This has caused a lot of unease within the ranks of senior security and political leaders, but more so the flagrant, needless, disregard for due process that has become the defining characteristic of Museveni's long rule.

Furthermore, all decisions on the so-called Operation Lightening Thunder were made in Mr. Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Museveni's private residence at Rwakitura, and attended by the likes of his half-brother Caleb Akandwanaho alias Salim Saleh and Tibuhaburwa's son Lt. Col. Muhoozi Keinerugaba.

According to Tibuhaburwa Museveni, Kaneirugaba Muhozi is "the one that shall continue to do and to complete the work of his father." It seems Tibuhaburwa intended Operation Lightening Thunder to signify his son's take-over of political/military power from him.

A new five member High Command was to emerge comprising of Lt. General Yoweri T. Museveni, General Caleb Akandwanaho "Salim Saleh", Lt. Col. Keinerugaba Muhozi, Col. Moses Rwakitarate, and Brigadier Patrick Kankiriho. Rwakitarate and Kankiriho are relatives of the Three Musketeers of the Bahiima-Basiita clan. The consolidation of power in the hands of the three would ensure the smooth transition and hold on to power by the family, with Muhozi taking centre stage, ready to step into his fathers shoes.

Notably, during the Christmas holidays, senior security commanders openly exhibited delight at the failure of Operation Lightening Thunder, which they all know was meant to spell the end of their careers. It is known that all serving officers officially owe personal allegiance to M7's inner family for security of tenure of their jobs.

Following the flop, enthused senior security officials now believe conditions have emerged to accelerate the dictator's departure from power.

From another perspective, the botched military adventure is costing Ugandans hundreds of millions of dollars and this is now being secretly discussed by Army commanders as a big liability to the country. Past botched operations in neighbouring countries including the infamous Operation Iron Fist only benefitted Museveni's family who used it as an opportunity to loot allocations for defence spending.

Uganda's previous misadventure into the DRC allegedly to pursue the Allied Democratic Front (ADF) rebels, resulted in a ten billion US dollar award by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Uganda for committing crimes against humanity, war crimes, massive destruction, and looting in that war ravaged country.

This massive liability is besides the operational costs of prosecuting that war, of nearly US $5billion that was incurred by Ugandan tax payers.

The earlier military assault on the LRA code named Operation Iron Fist cost Uganda nearly US $3 billion, the bulk of which was diverted and stolen by Museveni's family.

It is still early to know but judging from past experience, Operation Lightening Thunder may hit Ugandans with a bill ranging from US $6 billion to $10 billion, all to the benefit of military equipment suppliers.

As parliament was neither briefed, nor did they authorise as required by the supreme law of the land, the public purse "does not know" this war so it is not clear how Museveni intends to fund it, but it is presumed he will again illegally raid the Treasury as has done before.

An intelligence boss quoted Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Museveni as saying that Operation Lightening Thunder was intended to achieve three aims:

1. First the operation's success would provide adequate grounds to retire the existing army and intelligence commanders and thus "usher in a new breed of disciplined, young and tested leadership."
    
2. Secondly, the operation aimed to immediately glorify and elevate Museveni's anointed big three Bahima "Kony war" instant heroes: Col. Moses Rwakitarate, Tibuhaburwa's son Lt. Col. Muhozi Keinerugaba and Lt. Col. Baingana as the new military leaders, from the Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Museveni's "royal" family oligarchy.

   This dynasty would reproduce leadership to transcend Tibuhaburwa's departure from the political scene, if and when like the Guinea dictator, he lost the battle against his "long illness".
    

3. Thirdly, finally and most important of all, Museveni's son Muhoozi Keinerugaba would emerge as a highly qualified, undisputed military strategist, supreme political leader, source of peace in Northern Uganda, creator of stability in the Sudan, DRC, the Central African Republic (CAR), Uganda and rest of East Africa. Keinerugaba would therefore be catapulted to the front as Uganda's new leader, militarily feared in DRC in case of any potential conflicts on petroleum resources.

Museveni is also aiming to forestall the growing political revolt to his rule. There has been a widespread political wave of anti-Museveni dissent in the Western Uganda caused in part by the lavish favouritism to a small tight, clique of his Bahiima-Basiita tribesmen.

But Museveni's deployment of three relatively junior military officers to head a very delicate and complicated mission in a foreign country as a means of containing military rebellion and protecting his family's multi-billion dollar thefts is causing rifts even within.

Reports from senior security commanders have revealed that surprisingly, the biggest opponent to Museveni's military adventurism has been his daughter, Mrs. Diana Kamuntu, who recently confronted him at State House over his policy to carpet bomb the LRA camps in DRC.

She reportedly challenged her father to justify the carpet bombing of children, school girl's held as wives and sex slaves, innocent civilians and even the LRA soldiers most of whom are innocent abductees. It is reported that Museveni flew into a towering rage, spitting fire at Diana but she stood her ground.

Reports said later on during the family Christmas get together, the feud escalated with Museveni getting quite personal and describing her spouse Geoffrey Kamuntu as "Ekifeera niako akashaiza ka Diana", thus casting aspersions on her husbands ability in very intimate matters.

Diana is reported to have fired back "Ndekera omushaiza wangye" literally, leave my husband alone. She further told her father not to interfere in the management of her bedroom.

But Museveni had gotten so furious that he couldn't cool down, and took matters outside the family space. He was later heard lamenting to his security guards at State House, Entebbe that, "Diana akanan'zuuma munoonga! Mbwenu kurwakashaizake ako Ekifeera niako akazhaizha kaho!"; loosely, Diana has insulted me very badly over her 'useless' husband.

But Museveni's family feuds pale in comparison with the disdain from the top military brass.

Army and intelligence chiefs have belittled Museveni's statements that Operation Lightening Thunder was a success, providing Kony's guitar and wig as proof! They have also termed as "naked lies", Museveni's statement that Kony would be either be captured or killed "very soon".

One security chief said "Museveni should never have uttered rubbish that Kony had a manual about intercepting radio signals. In military terms, he should be court-martialed for subjecting our national army to such a humiliation. Military radio frequencies are by convention always classified as per signals and language used. Museveni is just the 'chicken thief' that he knows."

The commander equated Museveni's naked lies to his earlier statements that neither his NRM gov't nor himself had any knowledge of the Juba Peace Talks which Museveni then attributed to "this chap called Ruhakana Rugunda". "Why is this mad man called Museveni now demanding that Kony should sign the peace agreement yet he has in the past denied knowledge of any peace talks? Indeed if both himself and his NRM have never heard about the Juba peace-talks, can he explain where he was and what he was doing when a lady called Josephine Apira, of the LRA ashamed him by refusing to handshake him in Juba? Wasn't he attending the Juba Peace Talks? He should stop believing he can fool anybody. If his wife and children have already deserted him, why should he expect others to follow him blindly?".

Another senior army commander then remarked that Museveni is so crazy that if say his son Muhoozi got killed in war, the news would be kept secret for months.

Operation Lightening Thunder has been described as the most visible exhibit of Museveni's being militarily incompetent, naive, family-focused, reckless and simply stupid. He said Museveni simply prioritised the needs of his family in continuing to loot Uganda's wealth as the only logical basis for this botched operation. "He has ended up showing that his son Muhoozi did not learn anything from his greatly praised military course at Ft. Leavenworth in Kansas, USA."

Arming the pirates

Other news that should cause concern in certain foreign quarters but is still unconfirmed, are reports suggesting that weaponry and resources have been diverted from the US sponsored African Union Somalia mission to Operation Lightening Thunder. A senior commander said that Museveni recently told a security meeting that he had lost interest in Somalia especially now that Ethiopia was poised to withdraw their troops. The commander added that there were indications the incoming US administration may ask for the removal of both Ethiopian and Uganda troops. Nigeria has recently promised to deploy its troops in Somalia.

One Ugandan intelligence chief said the Ugandan government had been discovered to have been supplying (i.e. selling) AU force weaponry to Somali clans with the result that some of the arms ended up being used by pirates. The pirates have been menacing and often hijacking ships in both the Indian Ocean and Red Sea area and demanding for huge ransoms.

The source said that Museveni had also been supplying RDC rebel Laurent Nkunda with AU Somalia mission weaponry.

Uganda has volunteered soldiers in the so called African Union Somalia peace-keeping mission. But the offer of UPDF troops drew criticism right from the beginning, with some analysts even equating Uganda's participation as equivalent to asking a hyena to look after chickens and goats or the Mafia to guard banks.

First Uganda has an active guerrilla war that has raged for over 20 years which this same army has not only miserably failed to end, but infact, has in some instances fuelled.

Secondly, politically, Uganda is led by a bunch of con artists with long records of corruption, embezzlement of public resources, being undemocratic, flouting electoral rules, using the army for political control, etc. Uganda had also invaded the DRC for which the international court of justice had imposed a US $10million compensation ruling, the Uganda courts had ruled the last two elections as massively rigged, etc. How could this group be expected to achieve in Somalia, what they had failed to in their own homeland?

Feuding over the "maid"

On a more personal side, it is understood that Museveni (CiC) has accused the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), General Aronda Nyakairima, of "spreading dangerous rumours" within the military that he hijacked his fiance named Hindubi, the sister of Jinja RDC Mugisha Muhwezi.

According to Museveni, Aronda Nyakairima has made repeated claims that he (Aronda) had paid dowry to Hindubi's family in accordance with the customary requirements of the Ankole traditions and was thus lawfully married to her. He is further quoted as alleging that Hindubi's first child was actually not Tibuhaburwa's but his (Aronda).

It is understood that First Lady Janet Kataha Museveni promoted this view allegedly because her husband had originally "smuggled" Hindubi into State House as a maid/house keeper. When children started appearing, that position became untenable but her husband later defended Hindubi's children as those of his younger brother Caleb Akandwanaho alias Salim Saleh. (Saleh is presently a cabinet minister for Finance but mainly deployed as head of the unconstitutional and thus an illegal so-called Reserve Army).

According to senior intelligence sources, Aronda Nyakarima with the support of Janet Museveni and her children is demanding that if he wants her, Museveni should first have Hindubi's family refund Aronda's dowry thus rendering his marriage to Hindubi null. Museveni will then be able to lodge a claim on Hindubi's children.

This state of affairs has infuriated Museveni whom insiders say may charge Aronda for "using the wrong forum" in communication of sensitive information. Former intelligence Chief Brig. Henry Tumukunde was relieved of his job and parliamentary seat for allegedly criticizing Museveni in a "wrong forum".

  02 Jan 2009

Mo Tata, you raise an important question: who is a patriot? This is worthy of further discussion.

But first, we take the liberty to reproduce in full, article 3 of the 1995 constitution, which deals with Defence of the Constitution (see below). For us non-lawyers it may not answer the question in black and white but hopefully, it will be one of the guides as we think about at what point we should say enough is enough, now the constitution has been overthrown or abrogated, and do the necessary civic duty.

As an example of another approach, someone can say lets wait for 2011. (As a comment, let us inform people who are out that you may not realise but the country is really in such a bad shape, ordinary people and our soldiers are suffering too much. To this day some have not received the meager salaries for December. Children are crying from hunger, and not in school, the wife is almost walking naked. You can see a man so desperate that he wants to remove his uniform and go to beg on the streets. In fact we know some of these boys are engaging in petty crimes just to live. Meanwhile the favored commanders are almost drowning in beer, wine, women and meat! Their families are flying outside to study and shop. So whether we will make it as far as 2011 is an open question.)

So you can set a condition that if the man rigs, then we take him out haraka. We hope Ugandans are keeping a close eye on the EC and how things are going as an indication of what to expect in the future. Its not good.

Or someone else can say enough is enough, if we wait the damage will be too much.

So it is not as easy matter, that shall be handled in haste, but the questions have to be tabled and discussed carefully.

Quoting the CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA, 1995.:-

3. Defence of the Constitution.

(1) It is prohibited for any person or group of persons to take or retain control of the Government of Uganda, except in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.

(2) Any person who, singly or in concert with others, by any violent or other unlawful means, suspends, overthrows, abrogates or amends this Constitution or any part of it or attempts to do any such act, commits the offence of treason and shall be punished according to law.

(3) This Constitution shall not lose its force and effect even where its observance is interrupted by a government established by the force of arms; and in any case, as soon as the people recover their liberty, its observance shall be reestablished and all persons who have taken part in any rebellion or other activity which resulted in the interruption of the observance shall be tried in accordance with this Constitution and other laws consistent with it.

(4) All citizens of Uganda shall have the right and duty at all times --

(a) to defend this Constitution and, in particular, to resist any person or group of persons seeking to overthrow the established constitutional order; and

(b) to do all in their power to restore this Constitution after it has been suspended, overthrown, abrogated or amended contrary to its provisions.

(5) Any person or group of persons who, as required by clause (4) of this article, resists the suspension, overthrow, abrogation or amendment of this Constitution commits no offence.

(6) Where a person referred to in clause (5) of this article is punished for any act done under that clause, the punishment shall, on the restoration of this Constitution, be considered void from the time it was imposed, and that person shall be taken to be absolved from all liabilities arising out of the punishment.

Mo Tata, contrary opinions and criticism are not only welcome, they are necessary, so there is no need to apologise at all.

Security is always a great concern, but as time goes, more and more people are realising that whatever quarells they may have with Radio Katwe, at least we are on the same side of trying to rescue our country. Things are not good. So for those who pray, continue to remember us and ask the Gods to help deliver this country Uganda and the whole region.

  Jan 11th 2009

  Jan 13 2009