[UAH] Sejusa demands to know his charges

Gen David Sejusa has indicated that he is ready to return to Uganda, but wants details of charges the government is likely to slap on him.

In an email sent to his lead lawyer, Joseph Luzige, on Saturday, Sejusa also says he has been delighted by what he calls inspirational messages from many Ugandans supportive of his struggles.

"Counsel, I request that you obtain, formally, the framed-up charges that those people have been concocting to prefer against me. Once you know the details, then prepare accordingly so I can arrange for my return," Sejusa said in his email, which he later shared with us.

Gen Sejusa is believed to be in the United Kingdom. He caused a stir last month, when he publically called for an investigation into an alleged plot to move against public figures opposed to perceived attempts to prepare First Son Muhoozi Kainerugaba for the presidency. The government has since said Sejusa is under investigation for several offences, and there have been strong indications he will be arrested on sight.

Sejusa was scheduled to return on May 11. But on May 10, this website broke the news that Sejusa had cancelled his return for fear of being "arrested like a cockroach".

His latest email suggests he is prepared for anything. Speaking to The Observer today, Luzige confirmed having received the email, in which his client hinted on returning.

"Yes that is from him," Luzige said by phone. "I only got that email today [Saturday]. On Monday I am going to write to the Inspector General of Police and the General Court Martial to find out [any charges against him]."

In his email, Sejusa tells of receiving encouraging messages from local women from Isingiro, Kabale, Masindi and Hoima, and from the Uganda Youth Platform.

"There are many other messages of solidarity and outright support to me and my other colleagues in this humble exercise of telling our leaders to stop destroying our country, for it belongs to us too. These are coming from all walks of life," he wrote.

Sejusa also seeks to identify with comments attributed to former Vice President Gilbert Bukenya, who hinted at a plot by government to link him to rebel activity.

"And as you heard our elder, Prof Gilbert  Bukenya, MP, say while speaking to the press on Thursday, this regime is under siege, no doubt, and those clever enough know it by now," Sejusa wrote.

He claimed that many young people were being questioned by the state, in the hope they would name him as their rebel leader.

"There is uncertainty everywhere. The issue is how long can a country be in such a state before it implodes? Sejusa has a mouth to speak for himself. No one should be tortured to get what Sejusa thinks or is doing, or about to do," the general wrote.

In an interview with The Observer last week, the incoming head of the uganda  Media Centre and government spokesman, Ofwono Opondo, suggested that Gen Sejusa breached the Official Secrets Act by passing information to Daily Monitor. There has been no indication, however, that the newspaper got the controversial April 29 letter from Sejusa.  Rather, the newspaper appeared to have called the general to crosscheck its information.

We were unable to get a comment from the army spokesman, Lt Col Paddy Akunda, as calls to his number could not go through.  Phone calls to the police chief,  Gen Kale Kayihura, went unanswered.

But when Ankunda was asked, last month, if Sejusa would be prosecuted, he told Daily Monitor newspaper: "He is a presidential adviser and coordinator of security agencies. The commander-in-chief will make a decision on how to proceed."

Museveni has since said that Sejusa had to apologise or he would be arrested.

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"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."