{UAH} WEMBLY 2 IN EFFECT.
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Around 2002 amidist growing fears that some Ugandans could resort to armed rebellion, Museveni gave orders for a shoot-to-kill of suspected armed criminals. As I write this piece, Museveni has again issued a similar order as part of his ongoing counter insurgency operations. An operation codenamed Operation Wembly was inniated as an extension of CMI's JATT. It targeted the areas that were suspected to be the likely recruiting beds by the opposition. The western, central, eastern regions were targeted leaving out the west Nile, Northern and Karamoja regions. The objective of Operation Wembly was to arrest and detain all former soldiers, army deserters, suspected robbers and petty thieves. The idea behind the operation was the fear that such people would be easy prey to recruitment by a new threat of armed rebellion by the opposition. Iddi Amin had done the same during the 1970s against Kondoism (armed robbers).
At the time Katumba Wamala was the Inspector General of Police. The police had not been militarised as is the case now and according to Museveni, it was not friendly to his NRA regime. He had warned them that "unless you learn to vote wisely, your welfare way not improve". Innitially, it was supposed to be under the Police but Katumba Wamala tactically dodged it. Instead, Col Elly Kayanja was assigned to head the operation. It established its headquarters at Killement Hill Road just behind the MTN head office. Musana and Bageya were some of Kayanja's top assistants. Regional Coordination centres were established in Mbale at the Military Military Police barracks headed by Lt. Siraje, at Kamukuzi in Mbarara headed by Capt. Rwakanuma and Capt Rudahigwa, Fort Portal headed by Cadre Amon Rutenta and Masindi by Lt Abel. The rogue Col. Kayanja recruited other rogues and vagabonds in the city who extorted, stole, robbed, tortured, killed their victims. The drunk Col. Kayanja would even visit the detainees past mid night in the company of his wife to witness the torture. The wife would also interview the helpless detainees just for fun. Operatives like Kiwana, Kawere and others had a licence to kill with impunity. Detainees were used to carry dead bodies of torture victims into vehicles and the following they would be brought News papers with headlines and photos of such victims that they had been shot dead while they were robbing.
As usual, Ugandans had unsuspectingly graced the operation because of the rampant wave of armed robberies that had thrived for a long time. Later on when it became public knowledge that the operation was orchestrating attrocities, there was public outcry that attracted local and international condemnation. Museveni moved very fast to rebrand it Violent Crime Crack Unit (VCCU). An ASP Magara was put in charge of VCCU deputised by CMI's Charles Tusiime Rutarago aka Makanika. It was just the old wine in a new bottle since most of the operatives were retained. Musana is the current head of VCCU's successor RRU/Flying Squad. The head office at Kilement Hill was abandoned and instead another one was established in Kireka army barracks. Attrocities by VCCU became worse save for arbitrary killings. Worst methods of torture were applied - Kandoya, Livepool (water boarding), beatings, squeezing of genitals etc. The worst was the 'Sauna' where over 30 victims would be hoarded into a very tiny concrete sealed block structure that had no ventilation at all. Every morning on opening it atleast two or three deadbodies had to be found among the detainees. This concrete structure was located about 200 metres fron the main entrance on the right hand side before you reach the stores. It is alleged that it was used during Iddi Amin's time for torture purposes.
To further counter the growing criticism, Museveni formed a special Court Martial headed by Elly Tumwine. This court was parallel to the formal Court Martial that was headed by Andrew Guti. Friction ensued but soon after the Tumwine Court swallowed the formal court martial. This Tumwine court had only one mandate - to legitimise the detentions without trial of both JATT and VCCU detainees. Kigo Prison that was managed by CMI and Makindye Barracks became the main detention centres. What is interesting to note is that during interrogations victims were only asked if they had ever undergone military training and if yes when and where. It had been found out that in one way or the other, allmost all cases were either directly or indirectly linked to the NRA. It is the NRA's haphazardous method of recruitment, training, terms and conditions of service, mchakamchaka programe (deminisfying the gun), issuing out of arms to both soldiers and civillians that accounted for the surge in crime. For example one of the suspects, Pte Sentongo Gyavira had within a period of three years been recruited, trained and deserted twice with two guns from the NRA. That is why the court martial never heard and concluded any Wembly case.
At the time Katumba Wamala was the Inspector General of Police. The police had not been militarised as is the case now and according to Museveni, it was not friendly to his NRA regime. He had warned them that "unless you learn to vote wisely, your welfare way not improve". Innitially, it was supposed to be under the Police but Katumba Wamala tactically dodged it. Instead, Col Elly Kayanja was assigned to head the operation. It established its headquarters at Killement Hill Road just behind the MTN head office. Musana and Bageya were some of Kayanja's top assistants. Regional Coordination centres were established in Mbale at the Military Military Police barracks headed by Lt. Siraje, at Kamukuzi in Mbarara headed by Capt. Rwakanuma and Capt Rudahigwa, Fort Portal headed by Cadre Amon Rutenta and Masindi by Lt Abel. The rogue Col. Kayanja recruited other rogues and vagabonds in the city who extorted, stole, robbed, tortured, killed their victims. The drunk Col. Kayanja would even visit the detainees past mid night in the company of his wife to witness the torture. The wife would also interview the helpless detainees just for fun. Operatives like Kiwana, Kawere and others had a licence to kill with impunity. Detainees were used to carry dead bodies of torture victims into vehicles and the following they would be brought News papers with headlines and photos of such victims that they had been shot dead while they were robbing.
As usual, Ugandans had unsuspectingly graced the operation because of the rampant wave of armed robberies that had thrived for a long time. Later on when it became public knowledge that the operation was orchestrating attrocities, there was public outcry that attracted local and international condemnation. Museveni moved very fast to rebrand it Violent Crime Crack Unit (VCCU). An ASP Magara was put in charge of VCCU deputised by CMI's Charles Tusiime Rutarago aka Makanika. It was just the old wine in a new bottle since most of the operatives were retained. Musana is the current head of VCCU's successor RRU/Flying Squad. The head office at Kilement Hill was abandoned and instead another one was established in Kireka army barracks. Attrocities by VCCU became worse save for arbitrary killings. Worst methods of torture were applied - Kandoya, Livepool (water boarding), beatings, squeezing of genitals etc. The worst was the 'Sauna' where over 30 victims would be hoarded into a very tiny concrete sealed block structure that had no ventilation at all. Every morning on opening it atleast two or three deadbodies had to be found among the detainees. This concrete structure was located about 200 metres fron the main entrance on the right hand side before you reach the stores. It is alleged that it was used during Iddi Amin's time for torture purposes.
To further counter the growing criticism, Museveni formed a special Court Martial headed by Elly Tumwine. This court was parallel to the formal Court Martial that was headed by Andrew Guti. Friction ensued but soon after the Tumwine Court swallowed the formal court martial. This Tumwine court had only one mandate - to legitimise the detentions without trial of both JATT and VCCU detainees. Kigo Prison that was managed by CMI and Makindye Barracks became the main detention centres. What is interesting to note is that during interrogations victims were only asked if they had ever undergone military training and if yes when and where. It had been found out that in one way or the other, allmost all cases were either directly or indirectly linked to the NRA. It is the NRA's haphazardous method of recruitment, training, terms and conditions of service, mchakamchaka programe (deminisfying the gun), issuing out of arms to both soldiers and civillians that accounted for the surge in crime. For example one of the suspects, Pte Sentongo Gyavira had within a period of three years been recruited, trained and deserted twice with two guns from the NRA. That is why the court martial never heard and concluded any Wembly case.
Posted by Uganda - A Change of Guards!
Viele GruBe
Robukui
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