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

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.

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).

Bank of Uganda – Monetary Policy Statement for April 2016: “Core Inflation level to 6,2%” (04.04.2016)

BoU MPS April 2016 P1BoU MPS April 2016 P2

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).

#KaseseAttacks; A Massive assault on the Rwenzururu Kingdom Royal Palace today; nine killed and the Special Force Command aka Flying Squad involved in a plot to take out Royal Guards of the Kingdom!

Kasese 03.04.2016 P1

Today the day the report of the Peace-Talks between the King of the Rwenzuzuru Kingdom Charles Wesley Mumbere and the NRM Eastern Captian Mike Mukula had discussions and talked about necessary things to gain peace in Rwenzori and Rwenzori sub-region; Because the continued violence have not settled down and came up after a flawed local councilor III elections. As the Police and Army have targeted the Royal Guards men of the kingdom; as well as other people have lost their lives in it.

“There is neither war nor an emergency in the area to warrant continued heavy deployment of such security forces in the area.” The Rwenzururu king, Charles Wesley Mumbere, has told government to withdraw the extra security forces deployed”, (247Loaded, 03.04.2016).

First Eyewitness Report:

“Everything started when the flying squad wanted to enter the palace forcefully and the king’s security protected him, two UPDF Soldiers and one royal guard have died” (Rwenzururu Times, 03.04.2016).

Second eye witness report:

“An eye witness at the the Rwenzururu palace says Everything started when the flying squad wanted to enter the palace forcefully and the king’s security protected him, two UPDF Soldiers and one royal guard have died”.

Third Eyewitness report:

“According to an eye witness, the king’s guards were attempting disarm local security guard and this alerted UPDF soldiers who intervened but later shot five dead during the scuffle. The guards tried to disarm a local guard but he overpowered them and made noise that attracted the army and when the soldiers came, the guards remained defiant trying to exchange fire with them but in turn, the army shot five guards dead” he said. The guard was passing near the palace”.

They have been hearing gunshots in the Kasese town today, even as far as All Saints church of Kigoro in Kasese town. The shots have been heard, but certain UPDF soldiers have been badly hurt with machetes.

Fourth report:

“UPDF soldiers have shot dead five royal guards of King Wesley Charles Mumbere of Rwenzururu in Kasese district.

According to an eye witness, the king’s guards were attempting disarm local security guard and this alerted UPDF soldiers who intervened but later shot five dead during the scuffle.

“The guards tried to disarm a local guard but he overpowered them and made noise that attracted the army and when the soldiers came, the guards remained defiant trying to exchange fire with them but in turn, the army shot five guards dead” he said” (NTV Newsnight, 03.04.2016).

There been further reports that after the main melee that the shootings at the Palace have continued and that the Special Force Command have killed in total nine Royal Guards. This is because they do not want to leave the Rwenzururu Kingdom and follow the words of the king.

Uganda Police Force – Press Release on the matter:

Please note that the Uganda Police force and the UPDF have intensified security at the Royal Palace of Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu. This afternoon as the UPF intelligence officers trailed a suspect believed to possess the UPF gun that was taken from a Police officer after he had been killed during an attack on Kidondo P.P last month, there was an exchange of fire within in the kingdom when some attackers attempted to disarm a soldier attached to the kingdom. The UPF is in esting this matter and so far, six people are confirmed dead. Details will be availed later. The situation is under control now as the leaders and the Police follow up on this matter.

ACP Namaye Polly

Deputy PRO

UPF

3rd April 2016.

 

So the violence continues and seemingly the government security organizations are behind it, as the eye-witnesses are clear on the matter. The UPF is trying to put the blame on somebody else; as they are under the paygrade for the Flying Squad and the orders above controls ACP Polly Namaye tries to deflect it and then excuse for the controlling security arrangements as the Government with their Army and Police have persecuted and killed several Rwenzururu Kingdom Royal Guards in the recent month. This here seems like the plot from the Government has come to the level of actually killing them directly at the Royal Palace in Kasese; instead of taking them down in sub-counties and districts in Rwenzori Sub-Region.

Kasese 03.04.2016 P2

And that is as good intelligence and assessment as the Police and Authorities giving for the moment. I can assure you sooner or later Polly Namaye or CP Fred Enaga will tell it is militia or criminal actions, even if it was the Special Force Command or th Flying Squad! Who started the violence and created the killing around the Royal Palace.

Here is the UPF Statement from CP Fred Enaga:

“Today, Sunday, April 03, 2016, at around 1430 pm, a team from the Police Flying Squad that is actively involved in hunting down suspects behind the attacks on Kidodo Police Post, killing a police officer and stealing a gun, while on routine patrol and surveillance at Katadooba village, located 1 km away from the Rwenzururu Kingdom Palace, sighted Kule Julius, the alleged Commander of the attackers on the Police Post, while in possession of the suspected stolen gun. The suspect upon sighting them escaped and returned to the palace with six other members of the traditional Royal Guards” (…)”The police team while returning to the station in Kasese town, fell into an ambush of another group of suspected traditional royal guards, but managed to force their way through up to the police station. A few moments later, several gunshots were heard from the palace where it was later established to be an attack by the traditional against the UPDF Royal guards deployed at the palace, and whom they attempted to disarm in vain after he fought his way out of the palace with his gun” (…)“The highly charged and violent traditional royal guards tried to pursue him in vain, and in the process met two other UPDF Royal guards deployed at the palace, being transported back to the palace on a motorcycle locally known as “bodaboda”. They instantly shot the motorcycle rider dead, and hacked the two UPDF officers to death” (…)”Both the police and military responded to the area and effectively secured it including the perimeter to the palace. They thereafter rescued the UPDF Royal guard that had escaped from the palace and transported the three bodies of the deceased persons to Kilembe Hospital mortuary for further post mortem analysis as inquiries to establish the motive behind the attacks continue” (…)”The situation has been brought under control with no other incidents of violence. More details will be released progressively” (Fred Enaga, 03.04.2016).

As this statement proves is that this counter all of the eyewitnesses and their stories to the world. That is because the Uganda Police Force trying to clean the evidence and violence created by the Special Force Command ak Flying Squad. This because the King upset Brig. Muhoozi Kainerugaba. Can look like that now, they have the motive, not the Royal Guards who shall protect the king; not create violence or war. That is something the UPDF and Special Force Command is more capable of and can’t deny.

Seems like the Uganda People’s Defense Force – Flying Squad does not like to ordered or take responsibility for the created tension and killings in Kasese, Rwenzori Sub-Regions, as the Army and Police is in charge of most of it. Then the Special Force Command happens to be under Brig Muhoozi Kainerugaba only takes orders from the Man with the Hat, President Museveni his father. The Flying Squad takes with erupts actions and kills to prove their point. That is why the army killed even more people to prove their valid point.

So the Rwenzururu King Charles Wesley Mumbere does not get to order people away and therefore has to suffer,as Brigadier Muhoozi Kainerugaba gets away with search and destroy in the kingdom, because he is son of Mzee. Peace.

In Bushenyi the Public Servants told to keep their mouth shut and don’t become “News Reports”; in the name of NRM-Regime, they don’t want to be accountable or transparent!

Museveni 101115

We know that the NRM does not have it in them to be accountable, if so they would have disclosed more information and dealing then they already do. As the land-agreements, oil-contracts, road-development and so on is kept on the low-key instead of in the public spotlight.

So when one of the general leaders in the Public Consumption told the fellow civil servants to not share their information with the world. Take a look!

What Ms. Nakayenga told new Public Officials in Bushenyi:

” Ms Pauline Nakayenga, told the leaders that information for public consumption is released only by mandated offices. She said revealing the information by anyone else can cause confusion” (…) “Commit yourselves to public service and be faithful to the offices you are taking. Keep government secrets, don’t become news reporters. Government and public information is released by the district spokesperson who is, in this case, the CAO [chief administrative officer] or district chairperson,” said Ms Nakayenga” (Amanyisa, 2016).

This law from the first Obote I Government is still in action and therefore, when it is valid it is useful in the discussion.

Bushenyi Medical Centre

This is what the law says about Public Service on this matter:

Section 8: “Any member or officer of the commission and any other person who, without the written permission of the Minister, knowingly publishes or discloses to any person otherwise than in the exercise of his or her official functions the contents of any document, communication or information” (…) ”which has come to his or her notice in the course of his or her duties in relation to the commission commits an offence and is liable to a fine not exceeding two thousand shillings or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding twelve months or to both” (…) “Any person who knows of any information which to his or her knowledge has been disclosed in contravention of subsection (1) who publishes or communicates it to any other person otherwise than for the purpose of any prosecution under this Act or in the course of his or her official duty commits an offence and is liable to a fine not exceeding two thousand shillings or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding twelve months or to both”.

So the laws are already strict as a Public Servant the disclosed material and documents are supposed to be secret and talked about, there even possibility of being fined or being imprisoned up to a year. So Ms. Nakayenga is actually speaking as the law is confined to, even if she knows it or not.

Still it is a worrying sign that the Public Information does not the information out or prove their accountable and transparent towards the citizens they claim to serve. In any instance that is worrying. It is also worrying how quickly I could find a law fitting the NRM-regimes wish for secrecy of Public Office and the Public Service, and their Public Servants!

Bushenyi

In my opinion it is not healthy when the Government does not express its will or its works; as then they have to hide what they’re doing and cannot been seen as accountable. If all work happen in secret then the Public Service is not for the people, but for the elite and the Government itself. And the Government is supposed to serve its citizens with the necessary services and security. Certain secrets are supposed only to be governments ones. But not all and the Civil Servants or the Local-Council and Local-Government should sometimes disclose information so that the public would actually know what is happening with the donor-funds, the taxpayers money and the planned operations and the budget use of the county. Without being seen by central and other Government Officials as “News Reporters”, that is just vindictive.

She did not define secrets, is everything the government do a secret? Is it filing the documents on land-owners in a county a secret? Is the next official contract for which Telephone Company Bundibugyo district is using for their employees? Should that be kept low-key or be told if the locals want to know and also know how much the local-council get funded for their usage of their smart-phone, or is that a secret?

Because if all business of the government and the local-council is disclosed and kept a secret, then the government is shadowing the public; and can do whatever they want without question unless it is visible killings. Still the certainly a culture amongst the NRM and the NRM-Regime to not tell or not wanting to tell their planned actions in public as the public does not need to know in their opinion; that is why under the Election Day the VPN was used and the Electoral Commission wanted to ban cameras and mobile-phones at the Polling Stations. Peace.   

Reference:

Amanyisa, Zadock – ‘Don’t reveal government secrets, youth leaders warned’ (02.04.2016) link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Don-t-reveal-government-secrets-youth-leaders-warned/-/688334/3142626/-/kwjdw4z/-/index.html

 

Public Service Act of 1969 – link: http://www.ulii.org/ug/legislation/consolidated-act/288

Mukula meets Omusinga Mumbere over Kasese violence (Youtube-Clip)

The cultural leader of Rwenzururu Kingdom, “Omusinga” Charles Wesley Mumbere, has called for a meeting with President Museveni to resolve the clashes in the Rwenzori region. The Omusinga made the call after holding a meeting with the NRM party’s east-ern region vice chairman Mike Mukula. Mukula paid the leader a visit to try and broker talks to avert further clashes” (NTV Uganda, 2016).