Well, after reading the depressing statement “on alleged abductions” from Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja. We can clearly estimate and assess that the government is cleaning their hands or taking a blind eye to the fact. The National Resistance Movement (NRM) and their allies are not clever enough or wise to bring forth a proper statement. Neither able to articulate or make their statement believable. However, then again, the President appointed fishermen and not brilliant technocrats.
Like the PM stated in her statement:
“To say that Government abducts people, Rt. Hon. Speaker, is to impute that the Government leads someone away by force or fraudulent persuasion. Rt Hon Speaker, Government cannot rule out the fact that the word “abduction” is being maliciously used by the opposition for purposes of blackmailing us, and we highly condemn this act. The opposition are deliberately referring to arrests as abductions. An arrest done by a Police officer cannot in any way turn into an abduction. Rt. Hon. Speaker, I want to categorically state that Government arrests suspected criminals and has not abducted or does not abduct anybody” (Nabbanja, 02.02.2023).
With these sorts of words in early February 2023 makes it unbelievable. The person who says and print it cannot believe it herself. These words are just obnoxious and sincerely troublesome. It is saying that the opposition is “crying wolf” and stating it doesn’t happen. However, there are enough reports and enough people pleading for their loved ones. Who has been taken away, arbitrary arrested, abducted, kept incommunicado and later arraigned in courts after the fact. Therefore, the PM hope people are naïve or stupid. I don’t know which, but one of them is what she’s aiming for.
Without a doubt, the PM explained the nature of the “drones” by default too:
“Indeed, due to the evolving nature of crime to sophisticated levels owing to technological advancement, sometimes the Government may be compelled to effect arrests using plain clothed oflicers and vehicles with civilian registration number plates and other unconventional methods of arrest to keep pace with the ever changing criminal tactics” (Nabbanja, 02.02.2023).
While she claims this is ways to capture and arrest sophisticated criminals. We know these tactics and means to an end is to take in opposition, activists and other people who defies the government. That is an deliberate act by the security organizations and the “drones” are used frequently. The news of abductions and arbitrary arrests are common placed. That’s because of how these state security organizations are operating without fear or consequences. They are doing it and with the blessings of the “high above”. Which is why some civilians are arraigned in military courts to answer for their “alleged crimes” too. It’s a scheme to deter and silence critics. The PM is clear about the activity but claims the victims’ fault for being “criminals” without any facts or evidence of any criminal acts. That just proves the fault-lines of the PM.
The PM ends with some utter baffling response:
“Sharing information on the particulars of an arrest, that is to say who has been arrested, from where, by who and how, will go a long way to not only assist the Government to explain the whereabouts of the arrested persons but also determine whether the arrest was conducted by authorised persons or whether indeed it is a kidnap by criminal elements. Like I stated earlier, the leader of Opposition has not positively responded to the Rt. Hon Deputy Speaker’s request to furnish Government with adequate details/particulars of persons allegedly abducted such as Village of residence, place of work, next of kin, telephone contact, police reference of reports of missing persons, among others yet they are very important for investigation purposes. This has made it difficult for our security teams to trace for these persons” Nabbanja, 02.02.2023).
This is like the right thing to say, but the PM knows better. That’s if she wanted to be sincere. However, we know that she is a part of the problem and a figure head of the state. Which is why she’s undermining and acting “holier than thou”. The PM is just showing how the state neglects the victims of abduction and acts like it got the laws on its side. That the mere gist of the whole statement. She is denying and acting surprised that the Opposition is coming with lists of missing people. Like it never appeared and didn’t really happen. If it did happen, then they were sophisticated “criminals” to begin with. Therefore, we know the malice and the malicious attempts of cleaning the slate for own personal benefits.
We can with certainty say that the Government and the NRM will not take responsibility. It will act like it never happened. They will state the Constitution and the laws, but not say that it acts beyond that. Which is something we already knows, because we heard the stories and read the pleas of the families who has abducted family members. Therefore, the impunity and saga is far from over.
This is the liberty and freedom, the fundamental change Museveni promised in the 1980s. No, I was wrong. He said the opposite, but he stays in power by taking away liberty from the ones who stands in his way. Peace.
MinBane 