[UAH] So, Gen Sejusa, too, fears being arrested?
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6:55 PM |
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General David Sejusa, the coordinator of intelligence services (is he
still in charge after the raid on his office?), is the man of the
moment.
The moustached military man is arguably the most controversial army
officer of the Museveni era. His knack for facing-off with higher
authorities dates back to the guerrilla bush war days in Luweero.
Right in the middle of the NRA war against Obote's government, he was
detained in an underground 'jail' for a year, only to be freed right
in time to lead one of the major fronts in the grand finale and the
capture of power in Kampala.
Yet even with his controversial and unnerving demeanour, Sejusa has
largely been at the centre of the Museveni establishment. His attempt
to retire from the army in 1997 triggered a protracted court battle
all the way to the Supreme court. In the end, he ate a bit of his
words and was persuaded, if not compelled, to return to the status
quo.
This raises a curious question: is Sejusa indispensable to the
Museveni regime? Museveni always emphasises the rationale of
'okubejjako' (getting rid of them), the most recent purging of
dissenters being that of the famous 'rebel MPs.' Will Sejusa be purged
this time round? Most unlikely, and here is why. Sejusa is
indispensable to the current establishment in a critical way but he
also carries a badly - damaged name. Thus there is a mutuality of
interest and reciprocal coexistence between him and Museveni.
He is by far one of the most intelligent army officers, with an
irreplaceable understanding of statecraft. If Museveni was looking for
a genuine and objective, intellectually grounded yet pragmatic
assessment of a key security-political question, Sejusa is likely to
be the president's first point of call. But Sejusa's first - rate
grasp of state affairs is easily matched by his deeply-involved role
in the flagrant abuses and heinous deeds of the current regime. Here,
one is tempted to draw parallels with the late Brig Noble Mayombo.
The public credibility of Sejusa is as appallingly spectacular as his
contribution to sustaining the Museveni regime. In this lies the
rationale for mutual coexistence between Sejusa and the Ssabalwanyi
(the chief fighter) who is President Museveni. It is likely that the
two will always swim or float together albeit through a hate-love
relationship!
For one, Gen Sejusa was reported as the behind-the-scenes architect of
the infamous siege on the High court in Kampala on November 16, 2005.
His name also featured prominently in the deadly September 2009
Buganda riots. What is more, for a man highly schooled in law, in
addition to his role in attacking the 'temple of justice,' an act the
then Principal Judge, James Ogoola, called 'the most naked and
grotesque violation of the twin doctrines of the rule of law and the
independence of the Judiciary,' Sejusa did something worse.
After the first High court siege, a public interest litigation case
No. 1 (2006) was filed in the Constitutional court, challenging the
simultaneous trial of PRA rebel suspects in the High court and General
Court Martial. In a landmark ruling, the Constitutional court held
that the GCM is subordinate to the High court and that the
double-trial was unconstitutional.And guess who fired the first salvo
against the judges? General Sejusa!
In attacking the judges, Sejusa was picking a leaf from his boss who,
a few years earlier, castigated the same court after its ruling
annulling the Referendum Act, 2000. While Gen Museveni accused the
judges of trying to usurp 'the powers of the people,' Sejusa condemned
the judges for undermining national security!
But Sejusa did not stop at castigating the judges. He was party to
something even more reprehensible: the continued illegal detention of
PRA treason suspects, including a young brother to opposition
politician Kizza Besigye (Sejusa's bestman!). Besigye's brother
(Musasizi Kifefe) died a few months after leaving jail. It was at one
of the failed attempts to free his brother that Dr Besigye, a man
hitherto seen as defiant and courageous, broke down in tears for the
first time in public.
Fast forward to last Friday, The Observer reported that Gen Sejusa had
cancelled his expected return to Uganda. Apparently he 'was not ready
to be arrested like a cockroach!' So, generals too fear unfair, if
illegal, arrests?
In his most recent statement in The Observer (on Wednesday), Sejusa
says a spy was planted in his office, to spy on the chief of
intelligence! Isn't that how things run?
Assuming The Observer's report was accurate, and if Sejusa returns to
Uganda, as his lawyers have insisted he will, he is likely to face the
same abuses he presided over. The old adage will ring loud: what goes
around comes around.
Recently, Brig Henry Tumukunde protested his endless appearance before
the General Court Martial. But was Tumukunde also recalling the
infractions at his behest when he was spy chief at ISO and CMI?
Unfortunately, the current 'chiefs,' especially the Inspector General
of Police, Lt Gen Kale Kayihura appear unbothered by these trends!
The author is a PhD candidate in Political Science at Northwestern
University, Evanston/Chicago-USA
moses.khisa@gmail.comThis e-mail address is being protected from
spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
--
*"War is nothing but a continuation of political intercourse, with a
mixture of other means. Man will never be free until the last king is
strangled with the entrails of the last priest."*
--
UAH forum is devoted to matters of interest to Ugandans and Africans in general. Individuals are responsible for whatever they post on this forum.To unsubscribe from this group, send email to: ugandans-at-heart+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com or Abbey Semuwemba at: abbeysemuwemba@gmail.com.
still in charge after the raid on his office?), is the man of the
moment.
The moustached military man is arguably the most controversial army
officer of the Museveni era. His knack for facing-off with higher
authorities dates back to the guerrilla bush war days in Luweero.
Right in the middle of the NRA war against Obote's government, he was
detained in an underground 'jail' for a year, only to be freed right
in time to lead one of the major fronts in the grand finale and the
capture of power in Kampala.
Yet even with his controversial and unnerving demeanour, Sejusa has
largely been at the centre of the Museveni establishment. His attempt
to retire from the army in 1997 triggered a protracted court battle
all the way to the Supreme court. In the end, he ate a bit of his
words and was persuaded, if not compelled, to return to the status
quo.
This raises a curious question: is Sejusa indispensable to the
Museveni regime? Museveni always emphasises the rationale of
'okubejjako' (getting rid of them), the most recent purging of
dissenters being that of the famous 'rebel MPs.' Will Sejusa be purged
this time round? Most unlikely, and here is why. Sejusa is
indispensable to the current establishment in a critical way but he
also carries a badly - damaged name. Thus there is a mutuality of
interest and reciprocal coexistence between him and Museveni.
He is by far one of the most intelligent army officers, with an
irreplaceable understanding of statecraft. If Museveni was looking for
a genuine and objective, intellectually grounded yet pragmatic
assessment of a key security-political question, Sejusa is likely to
be the president's first point of call. But Sejusa's first - rate
grasp of state affairs is easily matched by his deeply-involved role
in the flagrant abuses and heinous deeds of the current regime. Here,
one is tempted to draw parallels with the late Brig Noble Mayombo.
The public credibility of Sejusa is as appallingly spectacular as his
contribution to sustaining the Museveni regime. In this lies the
rationale for mutual coexistence between Sejusa and the Ssabalwanyi
(the chief fighter) who is President Museveni. It is likely that the
two will always swim or float together albeit through a hate-love
relationship!
For one, Gen Sejusa was reported as the behind-the-scenes architect of
the infamous siege on the High court in Kampala on November 16, 2005.
His name also featured prominently in the deadly September 2009
Buganda riots. What is more, for a man highly schooled in law, in
addition to his role in attacking the 'temple of justice,' an act the
then Principal Judge, James Ogoola, called 'the most naked and
grotesque violation of the twin doctrines of the rule of law and the
independence of the Judiciary,' Sejusa did something worse.
After the first High court siege, a public interest litigation case
No. 1 (2006) was filed in the Constitutional court, challenging the
simultaneous trial of PRA rebel suspects in the High court and General
Court Martial. In a landmark ruling, the Constitutional court held
that the GCM is subordinate to the High court and that the
double-trial was unconstitutional.And guess who fired the first salvo
against the judges? General Sejusa!
In attacking the judges, Sejusa was picking a leaf from his boss who,
a few years earlier, castigated the same court after its ruling
annulling the Referendum Act, 2000. While Gen Museveni accused the
judges of trying to usurp 'the powers of the people,' Sejusa condemned
the judges for undermining national security!
But Sejusa did not stop at castigating the judges. He was party to
something even more reprehensible: the continued illegal detention of
PRA treason suspects, including a young brother to opposition
politician Kizza Besigye (Sejusa's bestman!). Besigye's brother
(Musasizi Kifefe) died a few months after leaving jail. It was at one
of the failed attempts to free his brother that Dr Besigye, a man
hitherto seen as defiant and courageous, broke down in tears for the
first time in public.
Fast forward to last Friday, The Observer reported that Gen Sejusa had
cancelled his expected return to Uganda. Apparently he 'was not ready
to be arrested like a cockroach!' So, generals too fear unfair, if
illegal, arrests?
In his most recent statement in The Observer (on Wednesday), Sejusa
says a spy was planted in his office, to spy on the chief of
intelligence! Isn't that how things run?
Assuming The Observer's report was accurate, and if Sejusa returns to
Uganda, as his lawyers have insisted he will, he is likely to face the
same abuses he presided over. The old adage will ring loud: what goes
around comes around.
Recently, Brig Henry Tumukunde protested his endless appearance before
the General Court Martial. But was Tumukunde also recalling the
infractions at his behest when he was spy chief at ISO and CMI?
Unfortunately, the current 'chiefs,' especially the Inspector General
of Police, Lt Gen Kale Kayihura appear unbothered by these trends!
The author is a PhD candidate in Political Science at Northwestern
University, Evanston/Chicago-USA
moses.khisa@gmail.comThis e-mail address is being protected from
spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
--
*"War is nothing but a continuation of political intercourse, with a
mixture of other means. Man will never be free until the last king is
strangled with the entrails of the last priest."*
--
UAH forum is devoted to matters of interest to Ugandans and Africans in general. Individuals are responsible for whatever they post on this forum.To unsubscribe from this group, send email to: ugandans-at-heart+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com or Abbey Semuwemba at: abbeysemuwemba@gmail.com.
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