Opinion: Is President Museveni taking the role of the IGP?

When reading the letter ‘Update on combating crime’, which was released today on the 3^rd November 2019. It was like reading a spread-sheet from an Inspector General of Police. It was reading into the works of the police and investigations made by the Police Force. This wasn’t an letter made by actual President. The Head of State and the Command-in-Chief. No, this was the letter an Inspector General of Police (IGP) should have made.

That President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is micro-managing is now common knowledge. This is why just mere week ago or so, the Deputy IGP had to formulate a plan to criminal gangs, which was just putting basic policing onto a spread-sheet and call it a day. Therefore, what was made today, as a show of effort and work. The President really should have had the IGP J.M. Okoth-Ochola released this letter or something similar. Since, this is initially his job, if not let CP Fred Enaga do his thing and shred some cheese over it and call it a meal.

When saying all this. I will take some pieces of it and show why I feel like this. Because, that is the only way this letter from him makes some sense.

“Greetings, after some weeks of absence. This time, I will, again, address you on the issue of combating crime because crime was appearing, again, after we had suppressed it with Operation Wembley in the year 2002. The criminal groups, in recent times, had killed people in the areas of Kampala-Entebbe, Ntungamo, Lyantonde and the Kisoro areas. I have not yet received the report for Kisoro. However, for Kampala Metropolitan, Ntungamo and Lyantonde, the gangs have been wiped out. These gangs had killed 13 people, injured 2 and robbed sh. 24 million in total” (Museveni, 03.11.2019).

Francis K. Butagira statement at the United Nations in New York on the 8^th July 2003: “The collection of illicit arms in an ongoing activity by law enforcement agencies. A Joint Task Force by the security agencies, code named “Operation Wembley” set up early in 2002 to tackle increased armed crime resulted in the recovery of hundreds of firearms” (Butagira, 08.07.2003). Sam A Akaki wrote: “Creation of ad hoc and unauthorised detaining agencies, such as Operation Wembley and its successor, the Violent Crime Crack Unit (VCCU)” (Written evidence submitted by International Lobby for Reform in Uganda (ILORU), December 2004). What this is showing how he promoted the Operation Wembly now and saying what is happening is the same the past ad-hoc action. This means, there are something similar in the path and usage of the police resources. Therefore, he could just have been an IGP and not so presidential.

After this he shows stories from several places in the Republic, where the been murders, thieving and gangs on rampage. Just writing a protocol of what is the gist of the criminal activity done and even whose name behind it. That is so not like a President, but like a Police Commander. However, he ended this piece with this:

“You all can see that what was missing was vigilance by the public and the Police and increasing the speed of responding by the Police. The cameras helped in a few cases. Forensic analysis of cartridges helped in all of them. Police dogs, helped a bit in the Ntungamo incidents. It is easy to defeat these criminals as I said from the very beginning. You can see, how the criminals are trying to use our good roads and the good telephone system to move from Kampala and commit crimes in Ntungamo or any other far corner of Uganda. I will not use permanent road-blocks to catch them. It disturbs Nalumanya and Ssalumanya (the ones who are guilty and the ones who are not guilty). I will always use the technology of jigger extraction. You do not hurt the toe because there is a jigger there. You patiently pull back the skin, until you extract the jigger itself and reward it with fire with little damage to the toe” (Museveni, 03.11.2019).

We can all see, that his pleased by his own achievement like a Police Commander would be, if his policies and his methods was working. However, his the President and not the Police Commander. Even, if he has the overall leadership of the Republic. That doesn’t mean that he should involve himself as directly as this.

The way he wrote the stories of the crimes. The way he is saying that the roads, the telephones and everything else makes it easier for criminals. What makes it easier for criminals to thrive is the lack of policing, lack of rule of law and also an impoverished police. What has been done here is ad-hoc acts of sudden change of what the police was focused on. Instead of focusing on opposition police, it actually did police work and went after gangs. However, that shouldn’t be commended, but says more about the lack of work been put in the right places by the authorities, by the President and by the supposed IGP. Nevertheless, this will continue and this is not the final word in the saga.

We just know it comes more, but this isn’t the sound of reassuring President. No, this is the words of a proud IGP doing his thing. Peace.

Uganda Police Force: Police Dismantles Additional Criminal Gangs (21.10.2019)

Opinion: DIGP Sabiiti’s security plan is basic policing!

“Okay The point I’m making is this: Soldiering and policing, they ain’t the same thing. And before we went and took the wrong turn and start up with these war games, the cop walked a beat, and he learned that post. And if there were things that happened on that post, where there be a rape, a robbery, or a shooting, he had people out there helping him, feeding him information. But every time I came to you, my DEU sergeant, for information, to find out what’s going on out on them streets… all that came back was some bullshit. You had your stats, your arrests, your seizures, but don’t none of that amount to shit when it comes to protecting the neighborhood, now do it? [sighs] You know, he worst thing about this, so-called drug war, to my mind…it just, it ruined this job” – Howard “Bunny” Colvin – The Wire Season 3:10 (2004).

What Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) Sabiiti Muzeyi wrote and spelled out to the media in this weeks “Enhanced Security Plan to Curb Violent Crimes”. It was basically spelling out what policing is all about. Not strange it is like this, when the army is more involved, the leadership is patriotic, loyal cadres of the army and leaders from with the Police Force itself.

That is why these fellows could have been re-watching The Wire or any other Police TV-Series, which has been known for a while. Even Pacific Blue, Luther, NYPD Blue, Colombo and all the editions of Law & Order. All of these could say about the same thing.

What the DIGP did launch was more surveillance and investigation capacities, fingerprinting firearms, improving forensics department and more visible police officers in the traffic. This is all steps of ordinary policing. That is not re-inventing an art-form. Alas, this is not changing the ways of doing work.

That is why what they are wanting to do. Is to directly wire-tap gangs, follow-up on CCTV Cameras and investigations itself. So, that they can follow-up on suspects and find proper evidence to link possible criminals. This should be their works, follow leads and breadcrumbs, even have proper detectives, that detect things and solves cases. That shouldn’t so hard, but you cannot anticipate soldiers and the army men to get this. They are securing a territory, they are in the line-of-fire, they are not getting affidavits, finding the motives and the evidence. The Army will use force to keep safety, they will guard a perimeter and secure a venue. They will not find a person with a guilty conscience and ID a suspect with fingerprints and so-on. This they could have learned from watching TV.

Therefore, this sort of enhanced plan to crack down on gangs isn’t that substantial. It shows more the lack of finesse, the lack of protocol and the lack of work ethic within the force. They are just soldiers on the beat and not doing policing. That is why they are not able to stop the gangs from existing. This is how it seems.

This report and PR hasn’t shown strength or ability to restructure. Instead, it has shown weakness and that they have been focused on other work. The Police is known for monitoring opposition leaders, their gatherings and such, but not handling actual criminals. This is maybe why it has to learn basic policing. Which is a sad sight.

Maybe, the UPF should hold seminars, hold course and even have bonus evenings in the police stations with talking points and questions after watching the Wire or anyone else. To see, if there are anything they could learn to do their actual job. Peace.

Opinion: Mzee made a 9 Point Plan to end insecurity last year, now his giving DIGP Sabiiti 48 hours to solve it!

“I have given 2 days to Commander Sabiiti of the Police to come out with a plan to combat these gangs. The IGP is away in Peru for a meeting. I will look at that plan, comment on it and it will, then, be communicated to all of you. It is easy to defeat these gangs. Their crimes will only add to the credit of the NRM because we are going to defeat them. Yet, the People have already seen the bankruptcy and the criminality of these groups and those who back them” (Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, 15.10.2019).

Well, Deputy IGP Steven Sabiiti Muzeyi has really only about 24 hours to finish the plan to challenge gangs as a Police Officer, a high ranking security official and a former Major General in the army. This on orders and by commands put on Social Media yesterday by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. Who should have just sent him the package of already well-written ideas from last year. Unless, these are already fixed.

Because on the 20^th June 2018, the President dropped his 9 Point Plan to end insecurity. Which was an extensive plan, but you can bug now 1 ½ year later if the Uganda Police Force and the other agencies did comply to this. Even if the magical plan of last year was implemented and put into action.

Like are the police able to collect fingerprints and ID guns? Are the police able to find out by register of boda-boda’s? How is it going with those specialized helmets for boda-boda drivers? Haven’t the CCTV’s done anything, now that they are actually up and going? How is it going with the building of that forensic laboratory? What is going on wit the Flying Squad? Are the any regulation of drones? How is it going with the thieves den on WhatsApp and on Social Media, any signals of catching up on that? Finally, have the Police and Customs acquired any scanners to secure transit of cargo?

This is brief and quick asking of the 9 Point Programme, as the DIGP Sabiiti only has one more day left. But if felt I left out the breadcrumbs of the DIGP to follow, as he stated earlier in his text: “However, for today, I will only comment on the pigs that are attacking People with pangas and mitayimbwa (steel- bars) and robbing them” (Museveni, 15.10.2019). Not that he has to register or look for lost pigs. No, that he has to register pangas, get people to them illuminated numbers in a registry and also combat illegal imports of steal bars. Maybe even, secure previous 9 point plan and actually enforce it.

Who knows, maybe the bans of hoods wasn’t an bad idea, since the Police Force neither has capacity or resources to follow up on previous orders above high. DIGP Sabiiti won’t say that, because than he might be forced to resign or get assigned to a foot-post in Kotido district or something.

If the President was serious he would have given him more time. As he himself hasn’t finished any of his previously made plans, starting all the way back to the 10-Point Programme, before the Vision 2020 or 2040, even the National Development Plan I and II. Therefore, the man should be a bit more patient with his technocrat or civil servant. However, don’t anticipate that. But just like the 9 Pointer of last year.

The additions made by the DIGP will be put in a stacks of paper and forgotten. That is just the way it is, because the funds are only for monitoring opposition and not fight actual crime. Peace.

A retort to Museveni’s recent letter: Will there be a difference between injustice and justice?

I will not use too much time looking into the recent letter written by Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. I will instead show some significant pieces of it. That settles the puzzle of who he is as an President and Head of State. Because, it shows his force and his way of governing, by mere words. That his the overlord and without question has the right to take lives. Especially, since killers are pigs, but if it wasn’t for killing himself. He wouldn’t have won his own rebellion in the 1980s. But we’re supposed to forget that, in which, makes that statement contradictory.

Before I go on a long rant… Just look at this!

“ As I told you before, these criminals are pigs. Anybody who kills people outside war is a pig. Moreover, many are stupid. They forget that all crime leaves clues and, eventually, the criminals will be captured. Up to the killing of Kaweesi, Kiggundu and Abiriga, the security infrastructure had lagged behind. You remember after those killings, I presented to Parliament a 10 points anti-crime plan on the 20th of June 2018. Although we have only partially implemented it, many of the killers in recent times have been arrested. The Masaka gang of Kiddawalime was wiped out (killed or arrested), Serugo Paul and his Syndicate in Masaka, Kanyesigye Juilius alias Mwesigye Amon in Rwizi and Kampala and the Usafi mosque criminal syndicate were neutralized” (Museveni, 10.09.2019).

I am sure that Obote, Tito Okello or anyone else he got rid of would call him a criminal or a pig over his actions. As the rebellion he used was over his own grievances. His saying certain sanctioned killings is cool, as long as they are done in the midsts of war. Even though certain criminal activity and crimes against humanity can warrant arrests, charges and sentencing at the Internal Criminal Court (ICC). Surely, the President who fears that institution, will not mention that, as he acted without question, in a brutal way in the Democratic Republic of Congo and could at one point answer for that in Hague.

Well, the other striking distinction … is how is openly saying he failed implementing the 10 point plan of June 2018. That must surely be as failing to implement as the 1986 Ten Point Programme, which he still haven’t finish. Maybe, we need to give the President another 32 years to finish of his second 10 point plan. He always needs time, while partly making things work.

Before I continue, the President had this to say as well:

“You may commit a crime, carelessly taking away the lives of others; however, you will also lose your own life. We need to make this clear to the Courts. It must be an eye for eye. Nothing less will be acceptable to the freedom fighters that I represent and the entirety of the electorate of Uganda that I represent” (Museveni, 10.09.2019).

The President will ensure that state is allowed and can shoot-to-kill before the Courts have found a verdict and said a set individual is guilty of the charges. This sort of policy is made for police states who will not answer to laws, but to enforcement itself. Killing of killers is within reason, but with the enforcement of laws and by evidence produced in the courts.

If it is directly an eye for an eye, than a stray-shot might kill another innocent civilians and anarchy will persist. Where there is no legal bound, but to carry weapons. As everyone will can do it. Instead of making changes and securing the public, these sort of acts will if it is enforced, make life very cheap. Who knows if the ones killed by law-enforced is the killer or his neighbour? Because, when your dead, your either a hero or a terrorist. In the eye of the President, the dead man would initially be a criminal pig. Even if the person shot and killed by security officials was innocent, they can frame it like yet another criminal taken-out.

This is enough for me, because, there is so much in the text that he wrote, but for me this is the standout. Which needs to be addressed, if he believes in justice. He should consider measures that secures a verdict based on evidence, affidavits and proof. Not hearsay and random picking people out and giving them a fatal punishment. Than the innocent could loose their lives, just like the lives taken by the killer. While the ones whose supposed to get sanctioned runs free, because you claim that the innocent did the evils bidding. Did he ever consider that?

Don’t think so, because he seemed focus on retaliation, more than countering injustice with justice. Which means, there is hard to strike a difference between whose the criminal and whose the law-enforcement. That should worry anyone. Peace.

Ministerial Statementon to Parliament in respect of murder by shooting of ASP Muhammad Kirumira and Mbabazi Resty Alias Nalinya (13.09.2018)

Museveni inspired by Treebeard: Spoke for three hours and made little sense!

“War, yes. It affects us all, tree, root and twig. But you must understand, young Hobbit, it takes a long time to say anything in Old Entish. And we never say anything unless it is worth taking a long time to say” – Treebeard (Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers).

In the dire time of need, what do you need? Yes, a long speech, longer than long Hollywood movies, so long that you forget time or even thinking of fact-checking. There was time my mind wandered everywhere, other ones that is following events, surely fell asleep in midst of the two hour history lesson and before the genuine interesting parts of the meat came to display, before that it was all liver and all fats, no pork-chops to barbecue.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni have clearly, learned a few tricks from the books of Ents, the people who speak Entish and are living trees in the middle of middle earth. Because, he used his time and wasted many people’s Sunday. Awaiting some of sort of care or consideration of the stalemate and the problems of our time. Little of that really got into the mix, as the President spoke more of his own deception and hopes that people will not questions his quotes or blended facts.

“I never waste time finding out which pygmy is taller than the other one, which is a permanent occupation of some other actors; however, in terms of gauging Uganda’s recovery, it is not a useless yardstick” (Museveni, 09.09.2018).

This is just a proof of his vile ignorance and his words used during this statement, as he wanted to prove a point, at the same time he was mocking one tribe of the Republic. That shows how little sense this man has, as he cannot respect the pygmy people and their struggles, but instead mock them.

“Secondly, the indisciplined Opposition politicians that are accused of terrorism against the population, conspiracy to commit arson or treason should be handled firmly by all concerned – the Police, the Prosecution and the Courts. We should not allow these wrong doers to intimidate our people. Telling lies to foreigners will not help them because the facts are on the ground” (Musveni, 09.09.2018).

That he again accuse the opposition of being in conspiracy with foreign entities and powers, while also committing treason, show how he intend to destroy those elements, as they are a threat to his existence, as they are questioning his legitimacy and are also another force he cannot manipulate and control, like he does in-house within the National Resistance Movement (NRM). Where everyone are following him blindly and being Yes-Men as they need his support and meal-ticket to survive. That is why he is attacking them and issuing threats, as the Courts will ensure their demise.

“Therefore, Ugandans, this lengthy speech is to assure you that Uganda is on the ascent; nobody will bring it down, no matter how hard they try. We have very powerful internal forces that will combine to defeat the primitive fascists backed by external parasitic elements. We are in the process of tightening the weak points. Be calm and supportive. The rest we shall handle” (Museveni, 09.09.2018).

Just like the Ents, the Museveni had already spoken for long, when this quote came, as he continues ot pursuit the opposition and outside forces support of others. As he has to malign them and call them fascists, as he knows perfectly well, that they are not brown-shirts and oblivious to their intent. As he is just trying to picture them as something evil, to make himself look noble. While, not addressing these people with a humanizing way. Because they are primitive and parasites!

“There has been so much talk about the torture by the security forces of people like Hons: Bobi Wine and Zaake. This talk is in the media and in other non-Court fora. Yet, these are matters in the Courts of Law. The questions in the minds of those who love fairness are the following: “What if those allegations turn out to be false? How will the accusers, local and foreign, rectify the injustice they have done to the Security forces? If any one of them implied or said that where I commented on the Arua events since I was on the scene, I was telling lies, will I be entitled to damages? That will be good for my Party, the NRM. Some of the NGO money via the Opposition may, in the end, help to fund the NRM. Final question in this connection: “Do the Security Forces personnel have rights according to these “human rights” activists or are they to be assaulted, beaten, stoned or maligned with impunity?.” (Museveni, 09.09.2018).

Just as you thought it wouldn’t be worse, as he wouldn’t push this narrative into a darker timeline. He had to push it further, because he is not to blame and his orders of evil intent. Isn’t that bad, as the state actors acted with restraint torturing the Arua 33 and the MPs arrested at the Arua By-Election in Mid-August 2018. That is why this mess is like this and why he had this address, as the continued insecurity and the reactions to state sponsored violence are continuing. He is just trying to deflect it all and trying to make himself the victim, while his state nearly didn’t give the MPs and the other tortured victims their needed care. That is insulting.

Also, does the Security Force Command have the right to shoot and kill the driver the of Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, which you don’t even mention, because he is just mere victim of the evil opposition in your eyes, that your army and militias can attack to defend your honor. Because, your always the victim, even when everyone around are in dire straights and in the midst of violence. Your people still deserve credit and assurance, because the NRM and the ones you order around cannot act malicious. That is what your saying about the blatant disregard of people, as your SFC used bullets against civilians in Arua.

“Ugandans you liberated yourselves from tyranny and death. See the mass graves in the Luwero Triangle. We are the only ones that can guarantee our future. The way it was in the past, so it is today and so it shall in the future. We are the ones to guarantee our future working with friends that respect our sovereignty and our intelligence” (Museveni, 09.09.2018).

He had to 1986 people in the end, use the Bush-War as a metaphor and epistle to long Entish speech of his. Because the graves of the past, the graves of today, will be ruled by the same people, as those graves are memory of the ones lost, so that people like the Ents. As today, the latest victim of his rule had his funeral, the former high-ranking police officer Muhammed Kirumira. Therefore, it is so rich of him to end this way, as his rule started with the killings and deaths of others, and with time even more victims are piled up. Never ending story of tragedy for this one to rule.

Enough of the Ents, enough of this President who has the nerve and ways of brutally attack everyone else, but not take responsibility for the reality on the ground. That is what is striking. The pygmies should also raise up as they were insulted by their President. They should not accept to toyed around like that. Neither, should the rest of the Ugandans listening to this man, he has overstayed and continues to play with them, use intimidation and fear to control the public. Peace.

President Museveni’s statement on the Assassination of Kirumira is just insulting!

Shiish. I rather that he didn’t write the public today, in the morning after the assassination of the former District Police Commander Muhammed Kirumira, whose been trouble ever since talking about the internal struggles of the Police Force. His been in hot-water and his house was at some point raided and he was even sent to Police Tribunal for stepping down as a Police Officer. That shows to what extent the Police does to cover-up for their own at this point.

Therefore, when reading, thank the almighty God, the short condolences message from President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. Still, it is infuriating as the lack of governance and lack of security protocol feaster the Republic. While he had to state this in his message today:

“Condolences on the brutal killing of police officer Muhammad Kirumira at Bulenga. I visited the scene of crime at 23:00hrs. The criminals are still using the gaps I identified in my speech to Parliament. You remember the 20th June 2018 gaps? The Police Force are working hard to fill the gaps. They have started installing the cameras and other measures are being put in place. The electronic identification of boda bodas would have helped us to identify these people quickly. However, while still using the old methods, I want to salute the residents of Bulenga for, although not armed, some Boda Bodas gave chase to the killers- 4 of them riding on motorcycles – up to Mile 9” (Museveni, 09.09.2018).

He had to do this and say it in this way, where he is speaking about misgivings and not counter-acting to the problems at hand. The lack of security and how easy it is to get rid of targets and problems of ths state. That is why these extra judicial killings and assassinations persist. This on-going slaughter of people by unknown men, who has targets and who guns them down. Those people must be known, which training and background, as the BodaBoda 2010 and the others should be exposed, but these killers who has taken down people in the recent years have lingered, while innocent people have been portrayed as killers in stories in the media. While, new targets are getting shot and dies. That is why these sorts of media statements and messages from the President is worth nothing.

It doesn’t help that he even writes this:

“On the urban criminals, the sub- committee of security began meeting at 10:00hrs under my chairmanship and we are to stop these pigs by not just relying on the old police methods. Pending the installing of cameras etc everywhere, we are going to re-activate the Luweero methods to deal with these cowardly pigs. Wait for my announcement this afternoon” (Museveni, 09.09.2018).

Are you planning to kill more people, because you cannot really capture the real killers? Is that the method of Luweero, because the Luweero Triangle was a massive slaughter of innocent people and bush-war tactic of trying to starve the others out. Do you plan to do what you did to Obote and try to force the killers out, by killing their family members? What are you saying? Do you plan to ambush people without investigations or warrants, just sprint with guns and small militias hoping to capture the criminals? What is the initial plan with this?

You are calling them cowards, but intend to use violence against violence, continuing an evil circle, where more people will initially loose their lives. You are calling the killers pigs, just as you call your dissidents bad words these days, terrorists, fascists or bean-weevil for that matter.

By the way, your promise for installing CCTV Cameras are getting old, soon older than your hats and empty pledges. Instead of writing some heartfelt and concerning words for the deceased, you have targeted and promised bloodshed. Don’t you have a nerve or a heart, don’t you feel guilt and responsibility for the lack of actions and lack of concern?

That should bother the President, but it doesn’t as he has seen people die all his life, while he lingers on in power by any means. This is just another death and another assassination on his watch. It is like it doesn’t matter, as long as we all wait for his announcement later today. Peace.

Uganda Police Force statement on the Assassination of Muhammad Kirumira (08.09.2018)

Former DPC Buyende Muhammed Kirumira assassinated in Kampala today!

Form February 2018

Today, Muhammed Kirumira, the former District Police Officer (DPC) of Old Kampala and Buyende district was gunned down or assassinated by unknown killers, at the same time in his car his wife was killed together. This is a man who resigned as a Police Officer in January 2018. That became a hot-potato and the state tried to deflect his reports.

What we can expect of this is a deadly silence on it, as it has been the previous former high-ranking Police Official Assistance Inspector General of Police Andrew Kaweesi. As that one has no answer to this date. Therefore, we shall not expect any answers or solving of this crime, as much as there is no clear indication of the killers of Kaweesi, there will be no trail following the killers of Kirumira. Who knows who did it and took him out on the Mityana Road this Saturday.

However, what we do know, is because of his sudden stance and lack of loyalty. Together with his former role in the Police combined with his knowledge of how they operated. That is why when he resigned earlier this year, his house was ambushed by the Police with live-bullets, without court-orders or warrants. They just evicted from his house as they raided his home and prepared him for a Police Tribunal in Naguru in February 2018.

That is why today is total proof of what is wrong in society, as another prominent police officer is killed like a vermin in the street. Just shot down on the way home on the Mityana Road. This might be revenge for attacking former IGP Kale Kayihura, as most of his leadership is still buzzing around.

All of this shows that the state can touch anyone and if you question the Police Force or anyone within reach of the President. You might be touched and stop breathing. We have seen that with others and this is yet another assassination. Another extra-judicial killing of former high-ranking police officer.

We should worry, as this is a sign of the ones prominent and questions the powers of our time. Will be shot and lose everything, they will be taken out. This is a mere sign again, that no one is valuable and cannot be touched. As the former DPC Kirumira are now gone. Another one, yet another sign of insecurity.

Whatever, the President says tomorrow that he brought “peace”, there are enough deaths and assassination to question if the NRM really brought true rule of law and justice. Kirumira didn’t deserve to end this way, no one does. However, this is the sad reality. Peace.