Press Release: MRG calls on Uganda government to investigate cause of escalating violence in Rwenzori region (04.04.2016)

Kasese attack

Minority Rights Group International (MRG) expresses grave concern about recent clashes between the Bamba-Babwisi and Bakonzo communities in the Rwenzori region, and calls on the Ugandan government to investigate the root causes of the conflict.   The violence has left at least 33 dead, 10,000 displaced and 366 houses burnt.

The first attacks broke out following the declaration of local council election results on 27 February, although many brushed them off as simply post-election violence. However, despite heavy police and military deployment, the killings have continued, with victims including a 13 year-old in Kanyansiri village in Bundibugyo district.

Addressing a press conference, President Yoweri Museveni told media that although his government had never deployed the army to quell a tribal conflict, he was going to now do so.

‘While we understand the President’s urgency to solve this problem, a military solution treats the symptoms not root causes. There is need for genuine dialogue among communities in conflict, mediated by a team of experts,’ says MRG Africa Office Manager, Agnes Kabajuni.

The events playing out in Rwenzori replicate a scenario in 2014, when violence between communities claimed 72 lives.

According to MRG, the causes of the current conflict in Rwenzori date back many decades.

For instance, to solve the Rwenzururu war, a guerilla campaign waged by both the Bakonzo and Bamba to gain recognition and secede from Toro Kingdom, then President Idi Amin negotiated a settlement to create Rwenzori District for the Bakonzo, Semliki District for the Bamba and Kabarole District for the Batoro.

Charles Wesley Mumbere

The Rwenzururu Kingdom, now comprising Bundibugyo, Kasese and Ntoroko districts has since the 1980s established itself as a movement which has continued to pose a serious threat to central government control. In order to calm the ethnic tensions in the region, the government in March 2008, after a ministerial committee recommendation, endorsed the Kingdom of Rwenzururu as a cultural institution headed by King Mumbere.

However, the decision to endorse Rwenzururu Kingdom was done with no prior and adequate consultation of both tribes in Kasese and Bundibugyo, pre-empting demands for recognition of other tribes like Basongora, Banyabindi and Bamba.

‘It is telling to see two groups, which have long co-existed and intermarried, now fighting with each other. At a political level, the government has to facilitate a genuine mediation process involving the Bakonzo under the Rwenzururu Kingdom and the Bamba cultural institution in order that they may peacefully co-exist once more,’ says Kabajuni.

‘As a long term strategy,’ argues Kabajuni, ‘the government has to address the economic marginalization of the communities in the Kasese, Bundibugyo and Ntoroko Districts, caused by historical injustices relating to land, equality, decision-making and economic opportunities for all tribes.’

Notes to editors

  • Find out more about MRG’s work in Uganda
  • Minority Rights Group International is the leading international human rights organization working to secure the rights of ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities and indigenous peoples. We work with more than 150 partners in over 50 countries.
  • For further information or to arrange interviews with our partners in Rwenzori region contact:

Mohamed Matovu, Media Officer, MRG Africa (Kampala, Uganda)

E: mohamed.matovu@mrgmail.org

M: +256 782 748 189
T: +256 393266832
@MinorityRights

Skype: mohamed.matovu

Facebook: www.facebook.com/minorityrights

W: www.minorityrights.org / www.minorityvoices.org

UoN’s Mike Jacobs speaks out on the aborted SONU election (Youtube-Clip)

“UON’s Mike Jacobs in sighting comrades to protest” (KTN News, 2016).

UoN Students beaten up by the Nairobi Police after the Demonstration after the SONU Election (Youtube-Clip)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=putgwn1XNs8

Kenyan National Police Service aggressive against the students after the election yesterday and demonstration after Babu Owino was elected as Chairman of SONU Election. This is Police action the Government of Kenya cannot be happy about, as this is fellow students and not common criminals. Peace.

UPF Press Statement: The Police explain the reason for detaining Dr. Kizza Besigye before going to FDC HQ at Najjankumbi for Tuesday Prayer (05.04.2016)

Besigye Kasangati 05.04.2016

The Uganda Police Force has learnt that tomorrow 5th April, 2016, RTD. Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye will attend prayers at the FDC party Headquarters at Najanankumbi. The prayers shall be held within the enclosed party premises and this therefore does not violate the law.

What is of particular security concern however, is information that after the prayers RTD. Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye intends to drive in a procession from Najanankumbi through Clock Tower to Container Village which is one of the most highly populated areas in Kampala City.

The purpose of this statement therefore is to caution RTD. Col. Dr. Kiiza Besigye to desist from carrying out any procession tomorrow because he has not notified the police in time as required by the Public Order Management Act sec 4 (1) 5(1). Violation of this law calls for sanctions as provided by the Act.

The public is strongly advised to shun anyone who tries to involve them in any unlawful activity that is likely to disrupt safety and peace within the city and which could result into damage to lives and people’s properties.

The Uganda Police Force assures all Ugandans and in particular the business community in Kampala that all measures are in place to ensure public order as well as security for persons and properties.By Blanshe Musinguzi

ACP Namaye Polly

Deputy PRO

UPF

Besigye had planned to participate at the Prayers at the FDC HQ in Najjankumbi by the Calvary; As praying is a tool of ‘Evil’ for the NRM-Regime; Dr. Kizza Besigye detained before the prayer and taken from Kiira Road P.S. to Naggalama Police Station to be detained!

Besigye Kasangati 05.04.2016

Today the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) had yet another planned Tuesday Prayers at their headquarters all over the country. This is the continuation of the boycott that has been going on from the Political Party since the Announcement of the Result from the Electoral Commission and Eng. Dr. Badru Kiggundu. So today was the first day that Dr. Kizza Besigye has driven out of his home since he went to All Saints, when he was detained straight after Service.

Besigye 04.05.2016 P1

While at the FDC Headquarter the Police have sieged the building and discontinued the planned prayers. Journalist from the area has been whisked away as the Police do not want this to be reported in the spirit of the new Kampala Metropolitan Police chief Andrew Felix Kaweesi.

Besigye 04.05.2016 P2

FDC reported:

“Many are gathered at our HQ, waiting for Dr. Kizza Besigye to arrive. The police has stopped him from proceeding and journalists denied the right to do their work. Police is armed to the teeth, beating up people” (Forum for Democratic Change, 05.04.2016).

Besigye Car Towed Yusuf Lule Road 05.04.2016

FDC’s Presidential Candidate’s Dr. Besigye car was towed away by insecurity police. This is a photo taken by Besigye’s in the car .Now at Yusuf Lule road. Meanwhile the FDC prayer has been disrupted by the same Uganda police.

Najjankumbi 05.04.2016

Dr. Kizza Besigye while being towed:

“Scared regime!! We couldn’t be allowed to get to Fdc Hqs for prayers. Now being towed to… I don’t know where!”

As the day went ahead and the Prayer was stopped and the Police had stopped the FDC convoy at Kalerwe and they planned to drive over Mulago to Central Kampala and the FDC Headquarter. But the Police towed his car and detained Dr. Kizza Besigye at the Kiira Road Police Station.

Besigye Kiira Road P.S. 05.04.2016

MP-elect Francis Mwijuke statement:

“We were towed together with the president of the people Dr. Kizza Besigye and taken to Kiira rd police station. We were led to the DPCs office. Two minutes later we were asked to get out and board a police van. When we reached at the van UP 4860, only Dr. Was forced into the van and driven away. Meanwhile there was an van UP 4861 which police surrounded to confuse the journalists and the public. Later the journalists followed the second van and then we were release” (Francis Mwijuke, 05.04.2016).

FDC Najjakumbi 05.04.2016

Certain FDC Officials are now traversing to Kasangati, others plans to see at Naggalama Police Station where Dr. Kizza Besigye have been detained before. As the Uganda Police Force continues to display arrogance towards the opposition party and destroy their peaceful prayers. The final news is that Besigye is detained at Naggalama Police Station in Mukono.

FDC Besigye 05.04.2016

Kampala Police Spokesperson Onyango Said: “Besigye defied orders, charged at Wandegeya police station with participating in unlawful procession”.

Let me explain:

So for those who don’t know the coded langauge of the Uganda Police the people who turned up to finally see Dr. Kizza Besigye and followed him by their own will. Made a Procession that was not seeked for; as the Police Force need to award the Opposition Party and Opposition Officials for the planned activities that any other then NRM have to follow under the Public Order Management Act (POMA); who nicely been dubbed the Anti-Besigye-Act (ABA); so if Besigye to be allowed riding down to central Kampala and go to his office he has to file papers to allow his movement. If not the Police will through tear-gas, storm the Najjankumbi Headquarters of the FDC in the name of that draconian law!

Police 05.04.2016 Mukono

So as I expect and what we thought the Police would do when he entered out the home; Dr. Kizza Besigye would enter into pastures where he is well known in the Police Stations of Kiira and Naggalama, as the NRM-Regime keep him under surveillance and want to stop him from doing political work and drain his spirit. While he is strong keeps pushing the peaceful actions against the regime that uses tear-gas and preventative arrest of him and others to keep the opposition on leach. Peace.

Running battles as UoN students protest alleged rigging of elections & University of Nairobi students torch SONU offices in fresh protests against Babu Owino’s re-election (Youtube-Clips)

“Students at the Nairobi University for the better part of Monday engaged in riots causing damage of unknown value to both motorists and the institution. This followed student leadership elections held at the end of last week which they claim were not free and fair. Babu Owino was elected for a fourth term as the chairman of the University’s students’ organization SONU. The unruly students, while chanting songs, took over key roads around the institution including State House Road, the University Way, Ojinjo Road and a section of Waiyaki Way. However, law enforcers soon subdued them blocking their march into the central business district, something that led to their change of plan forcing them to use the underpass bridge to their main campus where they set SONU offices ablaze. They later moved to Uhuru Highway where they pelted motorists with stones causing the law enforcers to lob teargas to disperse them. According to the University Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Student Affairs Professor Isaac Meroka, the elections were free and fair and those who feel aggrieved should follow due process” (Citizen TV Kenya, 2016).

University of Nairobi students torched SONU offices in fresh protests against Babu Owino’s re-election. Babu has previously been linked to hooliganism and has often been seen to display a lavish lifestyle in sharp contrast to his student status” (KTN News Kenya, 2016).

Rwenzururu king hands over UPDF guns captured in weekend shoot-out (Youtube-Clip)

“The Rwenzururu king, Charles Wesley Mumbere today handed over three AK47 rifles to the army. The guns, which belong to the UPDF soldiers guarding Mumbere’s palace, had been taken from from the palace armoury during a scuffle between the Omusinga’s royal guards and his UPDF guards. According to the king, the guns were used by the royal guards to defend the palace after a UPDF soldier who was guarding the palace shot and killed a royal guard after a scuffle.  The army has temporarily withdrawn from the palace as talks between the kingdom and Security agencies continue.  Mumbere has also asked the police chief Gen. Kale Kayihura to immediately withdraw crime preventers for peace to prevail” (NTV Uganda, 2016).

VIDEO: Hon Winnie Kiiza Woman MP Kasese Speaks out on Kasese Killings: “What is happening in Kasese is a replica of what happened in the days of Amin”.

“”Winnie Kizza says maybe the government is torturing people of Kasese because they voted for opposition” (NBS TV Uganda, 2016).

1635 Generation Consensus, by ZANU PF’s Acie Lumumba (Youtube-Clip)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX556MVpmOE

EFF statement on the police harassment of the CIC Julius Malema (03.04.2016)

EFF 03.04.2016