{UAH} THE FIRST FORMAL HIMA BIPINGAMIZI UNDER MUSEVENI'S RULE
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THE FIRST FORMAL HIMA BIPINGAMIZI UNDER MUSEVENI'S RULE
The word PINGAMIZI is a Kiswahili word that arises from the word PINGA which means OPPOSE. Therefore, the word Pingamizi may mean an injunction or any thing that hinders or opposes the progress and success of an undertaking. Museveni's NRA adopted the word Pingamizi during the bush war by modifying it into KIPINGA as a short form for KIPINGAMIZI. The word was used to refer to the ENEMY. Kipinga or Kipingamizi is the singular whose plural is BIPINGAMIZI. The word was adopted as a term used to refer to anyone who not only opposed the NRA from outside but even from amongst the NRAs who would dare to question or challenge Muzei's (Museveni) leadership. The different interpretations that have been attached to this BIPINGAMIZI phenomena include; counter reactionaries, anti-people, negative elements, negative forces etc.
During the bush war in Luwero triangle the most common Bipingamizi were the local UPC leaders and Youth Wingers. Once got by the NRA they would automatically be gruesomely killed by smashing their heads (Kafuuni). The only UPC leader who was captured by the NRA and he survived being killed was Nathan Kalema the former District Commissioner of Luwero; just because he is a Munyarwanda. Their skulls are part of the thousands on display in different parts of Luwero. The captured UNLA soldiers though were Bipingamizi, they were treated as moderates and that is why those defecting would be welcomed while some of those captured would be released back to government if they were Luos. Outside the Luwero triangle its only the then Bushenyi district where the NRA treated almost everyone as a Kipingamizi. This was because of the area's strong UPC connections coupled by the traditional Hima/Bairu ethnic differences. The UPC strongmen from Bushenyi like Rurangaranga, Rwakasisi and others had right fro the time of the 1979 liberation war successfully dissuaded local from being manipulated by the self seeking Museveni. For the same reasons, during the early days of the bush war some Bairu recruits hailing from those areas were suspected to be Bipingamizi and subjected to prolonged surveillance. Gen Mugisha Muntu, Capt Moses Kabusenene and others narrowly survived being subjected to Kafuuni over their suspected UPC linkage. On the contrary, its only the Hima and Rwandese who would be recruited into the bush without any scrutiny hence their historical dominance of key command positions. When the NRA took over control of the western region in 1985, the historical UPC Bushenyi factor was replaced by the Bushenyi Bairu/Catholic/DP factor that ACCOUNTS
for the woes that were to befall Senior NRAs like Tadeo Kanyankole, Chihandae and others.
During the bush war another worst category of Bipingamizi was comprised of those combatants and civilians within the NRA. Olive Zizinga being suspected of poisoning Mzei, Muntu and Mondo planning to break away from NRA, Moses Kigongo planning to escape from the bush, Sam Magara plotting to take over leadership from Museveni, Baganda fighters threatening a mutiny for being sidelined, Besigye drawing the attention of leaders to a potential Animal Farm situation, etc; all amounted to subversion and hence Bipingamizi most of whom had to pay with their blood.
When the NRA took over power in 1986, its the Baganda fighters from UPM and FEDEMO who had now been incorporated into the NRA that became the worst Bipingamizi. At the time the term had now been sold to the general population in western and central region who in turn used it to refer to the people of northern region as such. To some extent it was mainly used by self seeking individuals who were witch hunting certain public office bearers that were hailing from the northern region. As a survival measure some elites from northern Uganda embraced political indoctrination sessions so early and became NRM/A cadres thus ceasing to be Bipingamizi.
For the last 30 years of Museveni's hold on power, all the politicians who have persistently held divergent political views and have consistently resisted Museveni's coersion are Bipingamizi. Those who have abandoned his NRM/A and joined the opposition like Dr. Besigye, Mugisha Muntu, Miria Matembe, Kazoora, Mushega, Butime and others became Bipingamizi. Prominent Bipingamizi Journalists included Charles Onyango Obbo, Wafula Ogutu, Lawrence Kiwanuka, Ssemuju Nganda, Njuki and a few others. The list of Bipingamizi is endless but the most recent entrant is the former Prime Minister and Party Secretary General Amama Mbabazi and all those who are supporting his alleged presidential bid. Activists like Bishop Niringiye, Fr. Batanyendera, Ingrid Turinawe and others are Bipingamizi. The elected Kampala Mayor Elias Lukwago was blocked from accessing his office because he is a Kipingamizi.
Generally, the phenomena of Bipingamizi has engulfed all corners of the Uganda society but it has dodged Hima ethnic community. Museveni is from the Hima ethnic group who as a matter of fact have been accorded preferential treatment by Museveni because they are presumed to unquestioningly back his reign. It is the Hima who dominate Museveni's elite SFG presidential guard unit under the command of his son. When Winnie Byanyima wife to opposition leader Dr Besigye became the first Hima to OPENLY question Museveni's dictatorship, the Hima community viewed her as if she had been possessed by the devil. No wonder she has since then kept silent. When Gen Ssejusa was seeking pardon from Museveni to be allowed back into his good books, he claimed that it had been the devil that had dictated his earlier decision to defy Mzei. However, at that time Gen Ssejusa had his good reasons for claiming so.
We have overtime witnessed some of Museveni's original bush war comrades being purged, sidelined etc but other than Mathew Rukikaire who has kept a low profile, other than Gen Ssejusa no Hima has given Mzei political headache that amounts to Kipingamizi. During the mid 90s, a umber of Hima senior army officers like Ikondere, Sikaji, Muheesi, the Kyatukas etc were grounded by Museveni on grounds that they had been Gen Ssejusa' loyalists in his (Ssejusa) alleged subversive activities against Mzei. Since the attempt was neutralized by Mzei's shifting of reliance to the Bahororo sub-ethinic Hima, the main stream Hima were tamed AGAIN.
It was not until May 2003 that Gen Ssejusa was back in public domain with opposition to Mzei. This time as Museveni's Coordinator of Intelligence Services he alleged that there had been a plot to assassinate top government officials who are opposed to the Muhoozi project (succession by Museveni's son). The media houses who publicised this controversy were arbitrary shut down by government before the General's office was searched and shut down by the Police. His six aides were arrested and charged with treason before the General Court Martial. The General himself was threatened with arrest if he had dared to return from London at the time. All his six aides were ethnic Hima with four of them being soldiers from the elite SFG. During the trial it was revealed by the investigating Police that one of the accused soldiers Pte Ninsiima Frank had confessed to having been tasked by Gen. Ssejusa to recruit other conspirators from SFG into alleged subversive activities. Gen Ssejusa was pronounced absent without official leave (AWOL) and replaced by Col Oula as army Member of Parliament. In the meantime CMI is reported to have expanded its scope of investigation to establish other collaborators and possible link with rebel ADF. In the process one businessman Matovu Bhuto was arrested and interrogated by CMI after Col Kyanda had assisted in having security install secret surveillance gadgets in his CAR. He is now suing for damages.
Museveni's security machinery is reknown for gruesome torture of suspects in order to extract information. However, for obvious reasons this particular group of suspects was not subjected to physical torture. In another incident involving a group of mainly ethnic Baganda suspected of plotting an armed attack on Kabamba military barracks, one of the suspects Capt Lutwama was gruesomely tortured to death by CMI.
In December 2014 Gen Ssejusa returned to Uganda in an arrangement that was approved by Museveni. Since the General's return, Museveni has unusually accorded him a VIP treatment. On 8th Jan 2015 the Gen stated that he was in talks with Museveni to have the treason charges against his former aides dropped. As the General awaits for his retirement from the army, the court martial is playing games with the bail APPLICATION lodged by his accused former aides. At every court hearing prosecution rises flimsy excuses just as a way of buying time in the same way the Gen's retirement bid is being handled. You can guess how and where the bail and retirement game will end.
What is crystal clear is that Gen. Ssejusa becomes the first formal Hima Kipinga thus threatening the cohesion of Hima loyalty to Mzei. Are we about to see a repeat of the 1980 election scenario where Himas rejected Museveni in favour of their own Sam Kuteesa or does Mzei tolerate Bipingamizi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
INFORMATION IS POWER
Posted by Uganda - A Change of Guards! a
During the bush war in Luwero triangle the most common Bipingamizi were the local UPC leaders and Youth Wingers. Once got by the NRA they would automatically be gruesomely killed by smashing their heads (Kafuuni). The only UPC leader who was captured by the NRA and he survived being killed was Nathan Kalema the former District Commissioner of Luwero; just because he is a Munyarwanda. Their skulls are part of the thousands on display in different parts of Luwero. The captured UNLA soldiers though were Bipingamizi, they were treated as moderates and that is why those defecting would be welcomed while some of those captured would be released back to government if they were Luos. Outside the Luwero triangle its only the then Bushenyi district where the NRA treated almost everyone as a Kipingamizi. This was because of the area's strong UPC connections coupled by the traditional Hima/Bairu ethnic differences. The UPC strongmen from Bushenyi like Rurangaranga, Rwakasisi and others had right fro the time of the 1979 liberation war successfully dissuaded local from being manipulated by the self seeking Museveni. For the same reasons, during the early days of the bush war some Bairu recruits hailing from those areas were suspected to be Bipingamizi and subjected to prolonged surveillance. Gen Mugisha Muntu, Capt Moses Kabusenene and others narrowly survived being subjected to Kafuuni over their suspected UPC linkage. On the contrary, its only the Hima and Rwandese who would be recruited into the bush without any scrutiny hence their historical dominance of key command positions. When the NRA took over control of the western region in 1985, the historical UPC Bushenyi factor was replaced by the Bushenyi Bairu/Catholic/DP factor that ACCOUNTS
for the woes that were to befall Senior NRAs like Tadeo Kanyankole, Chihandae and others.During the bush war another worst category of Bipingamizi was comprised of those combatants and civilians within the NRA. Olive Zizinga being suspected of poisoning Mzei, Muntu and Mondo planning to break away from NRA, Moses Kigongo planning to escape from the bush, Sam Magara plotting to take over leadership from Museveni, Baganda fighters threatening a mutiny for being sidelined, Besigye drawing the attention of leaders to a potential Animal Farm situation, etc; all amounted to subversion and hence Bipingamizi most of whom had to pay with their blood.
When the NRA took over power in 1986, its the Baganda fighters from UPM and FEDEMO who had now been incorporated into the NRA that became the worst Bipingamizi. At the time the term had now been sold to the general population in western and central region who in turn used it to refer to the people of northern region as such. To some extent it was mainly used by self seeking individuals who were witch hunting certain public office bearers that were hailing from the northern region. As a survival measure some elites from northern Uganda embraced political indoctrination sessions so early and became NRM/A cadres thus ceasing to be Bipingamizi.
For the last 30 years of Museveni's hold on power, all the politicians who have persistently held divergent political views and have consistently resisted Museveni's coersion are Bipingamizi. Those who have abandoned his NRM/A and joined the opposition like Dr. Besigye, Mugisha Muntu, Miria Matembe, Kazoora, Mushega, Butime and others became Bipingamizi. Prominent Bipingamizi Journalists included Charles Onyango Obbo, Wafula Ogutu, Lawrence Kiwanuka, Ssemuju Nganda, Njuki and a few others. The list of Bipingamizi is endless but the most recent entrant is the former Prime Minister and Party Secretary General Amama Mbabazi and all those who are supporting his alleged presidential bid. Activists like Bishop Niringiye, Fr. Batanyendera, Ingrid Turinawe and others are Bipingamizi. The elected Kampala Mayor Elias Lukwago was blocked from accessing his office because he is a Kipingamizi.
Generally, the phenomena of Bipingamizi has engulfed all corners of the Uganda society but it has dodged Hima ethnic community. Museveni is from the Hima ethnic group who as a matter of fact have been accorded preferential treatment by Museveni because they are presumed to unquestioningly back his reign. It is the Hima who dominate Museveni's elite SFG presidential guard unit under the command of his son. When Winnie Byanyima wife to opposition leader Dr Besigye became the first Hima to OPENLY
question Museveni's dictatorship, the Hima community viewed her as if she had been possessed by the devil. No wonder she has since then kept silent. When Gen Ssejusa was seeking pardon from Museveni to be allowed back into his good books, he claimed that it had been the devil that had dictated his earlier decision to defy Mzei. However, at that time Gen Ssejusa had his good reasons for claiming so. We have overtime witnessed some of Museveni's original bush war comrades being purged, sidelined etc but other than Mathew Rukikaire who has kept a low profile, other than Gen Ssejusa no Hima has given Mzei political headache that amounts to Kipingamizi. During the mid 90s, a umber of Hima senior army officers like Ikondere, Sikaji, Muheesi, the Kyatukas etc were grounded by Museveni on grounds that they had been Gen Ssejusa' loyalists in his (Ssejusa) alleged subversive activities against Mzei. Since the attempt was neutralized by Mzei's shifting of reliance to the Bahororo sub-ethinic Hima, the main stream Hima were tamed AGAIN
.It was not until May 2003 that Gen Ssejusa was back in public domain with opposition to Mzei. This time as Museveni's Coordinator of Intelligence Services he alleged that there had been a plot to assassinate top government officials who are opposed to the Muhoozi project (succession by Museveni's son). The media houses who publicised this controversy were arbitrary shut down by government before the General's office was searched and shut down by the Police. His six aides were arrested and charged with treason before the General Court Martial. The General himself was threatened with arrest if he had dared to return from London at the time. All his six aides were ethnic Hima with four of them being soldiers from the elite SFG. During the trial it was revealed by the investigating Police that one of the accused soldiers Pte Ninsiima Frank had confessed to having been tasked by Gen. Ssejusa to recruit other conspirators from SFG into alleged subversive activities. Gen Ssejusa was pronounced absent without official leave (AWOL) and replaced by Col Oula as army Member of Parliament. In the meantime CMI is reported to have expanded its scope of investigation to establish other collaborators and possible link with rebel ADF. In the process one businessman Matovu Bhuto was arrested and interrogated by CMI after Col Kyanda had assisted in having security install secret surveillance gadgets in his CAR
. He is now suing for damages.Museveni's security machinery is reknown for gruesome torture of suspects in order to extract information. However, for obvious reasons this particular group of suspects was not subjected to physical torture. In another incident involving a group of mainly ethnic Baganda suspected of plotting an armed attack on Kabamba military barracks, one of the suspects Capt Lutwama was gruesomely tortured to death by CMI.
In December 2014 Gen Ssejusa returned to Uganda in an arrangement that was approved by Museveni. Since the General's return, Museveni has unusually accorded him a VIP treatment. On 8th Jan 2015 the Gen stated that he was in talks with Museveni to have the treason charges against his former aides dropped. As the General awaits for his retirement from the army, the court martial is playing games with the bail APPLICATION
lodged by his accused former aides. At every court hearing prosecution rises flimsy excuses just as a way of buying time in the same way the Gen's retirement bid is being handled. You can guess how and where the bail and retirement game will end.What is crystal clear is that Gen. Ssejusa becomes the first formal Hima Kipinga thus threatening the cohesion of Hima loyalty to Mzei. Are we about to see a repeat of the 1980 election scenario where Himas rejected Museveni in favour of their own Sam Kuteesa or does Mzei tolerate Bipingamizi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
INFORMATION IS POWER
Posted by Uganda - A Change of Guards! a
Viele GruBe
Robukui
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