{UAH} MUSEVENI'S INTEREST IN UNAA; ONE 'ENEMY' KILLED IN USA
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MUSEVENI'S INTEREST IN UNAA; ONE 'ENEMY' KILLED IN USA
BY SARAH NALUKENGE ON UAH FACEBOOK
Last month Uganda's parliament had to close down for almost two weeks because both the Speaker and her deputy had led a group of Members of Parliament and other government officials to the USA to attend the annual Uganda North America Association (UNAA) convention. UNAA is a community based organisation of Ugandans living in North America. It is a platform founded in 1988 that brings together Ugandans for purposes of knowing each other, networking, sharing and experiencing Ugandan culture and abundant opportunities available both in North America and Uganda. As a community outreach initiative, it affords Ugandans an opportunity to interact with fellow Ugandans in the diaspora. Initially, those Ugandans would converge annually for socializing and merry making but with time it evolves into what came to be known as the Annual Convention. Its objectives have also evilced over time to include discussing business opportunities and political developments in Uganda. There the annual convention has business and political forums at the sidelines of the main event.
Over the almost four decades of political and economic turbulences in Uganda, many Ugandans have settled in Europe and North America. Among them are refugees, settled Ugandan citizens and economic immigrants. When Museveni was fighting his bush war against the then government in the early 1980s, he had a powerful External Wing comprised of Ugandans based outside Uganda mostly as refugees. This External Wing played a major role in mobilizing resources for the fighters on the ground from Ugandans based outside, foreign governments, international organisations, politically and economically powerful individuals etc. Though after taking over power, Museveni has for selfish reasons tended to downplay the role of the External Wing, he is very mindful of the potential of Ugandans based outside the country to influence the political landscape in Uganda. When he took over power in 1986, the diaspora was awash with a vibrant exile community of Ugandans who did not approve his military take over. These exiles were mostly the Baganda aligned to the defunct pro-Buganda fighting groups, UFM and FEDEMO, former army officers, government officials and politicians of the ousted Obote II and the short lived Okello junta. Generally, it was mostly people originating from the Northern, Northeastern and Buganda regions who were concentrated in North America and Europe. Those of the Iddi Amin regime were concentrated in the Sudan and Congo. Indeed, these exiles became very active in supporting the insurgencies that cropped up immediately after he took over power.
In this regard Museveni moved very first to establish an intelligence outfit that would keep a close eye on these diaspora based Ugandans. He put in place the External Security Organisation (ESO) in 1987 whose role is to monitor the activities of Ugandan citizens based abroad who posed a security threat, monitoring all foreigners coming to Uganda, foreign companies and NGOs operating in Uganda, etc. Because majority of the Ugandans in the diaspora opposed to Museveni and based abroad at the time were mostly those hailing from Buganda, Northern and Northeastern regions, most of the Director Generals, Directors and heads of departments in ESO have been hailing from those regions. The likes of David Pulkol, Maku Angofulu Igga, Emmy Alio, Gen. Oketcho, Masolo, and the current Director General, Joseph Ochwet are all from those presumed hostile regions. Initially the pioneer Director Generals like Amama Mbabazi and Kahinda Otafiire tenure of office had handled the UPCs from western region - Among Bazira was assassinated in Nairobi while a number of others were lured back and manipulated into inactivity. However, for the usual ethnic considerations when it came to luring Gen. Ssejusa back to Uganda, Kuseceni had to use Janet Anyone and her team who have since then been incorporated into ESO where they are causing friction. Military Intelligence (CMI) has also been involves in external intelligence operations like luring renegade exiled soldiers, and kidnap of those bases in neighboring countries. Even Internal Security organisation (ISO) has been involved in external intelligence operations like was the case with the insurgents based in South Sudan where the likes of Philip Idro from Moyo district, Fred Tolit (CMI) from Acholi and Taban Amin (Deputy Director of ISO) from West Nile took charge of the insurgents in Congo and Sudan.
These Ugandans in the diaspora have over the years formed strong associations for socializing and networking. In North America there is UNAA and its breakaway factions of UNAA Causes, Tabamiruka, Gwangamujje, Banyakigezi; in Europe there is the likes of UK Uganda Convention, the Acholis Kachoke Madit, Langis Lango Assaciation; in the Nordics there is the Nordic Ugandans bases in Sweden. These strong communities that greatly contribute to the Uganda's economy through huge financial remittances have the potential to influence opinion in host countries and back home in Uganda. Mindful of this potential, the Museveni regime has over the years infiltrated these associations and made attempts to disorganise them prompting rumour mongering, mad sliding, swindling of funds, prompting splits. In some instances the Museveni regime has influenced the leadership of such associations. The Museveni regime had over the years been contributing US$ 20,000 annually towards the UNAA annual convention until recently when it increased it to US$ 100,000. The Museveni sponsored UNAA voting pattern has also succeeded in discarding the old guards from leadership positions in preference for the more youthful office bearers in recent years. With a total population of about 120,000 Ugandans in North America alone, the annual attendance of only about 1,000 delegates (the regime delegates from Kampala inclusive) is a clear testimony that a big majority of Ugandans in North America have no interest in UNAA. However, being the an organised grouping, the regime does not take chances in paying attention to its existence.
It is against this background that during the recently concluded UNAA convention where even the leading opposition leader Dr. Besigye was invited, the Museceni regime had to suspend parliament and spent billions to the tax payer's money to enable the Speaker and her Deputy to lead a strong delegation to the same convention. In the same respect when a US based Ugandan refugee, Alfred Olango 38 was recently shot dead by the police in San Diego, California, neither the Uganda government nor UNAA came up to demand for an explanation from the US government. Instead it was the US State Department Officials who out of courtesy tendered a letter of condolence to the Uganda Embassy in Washington regarding the same death. To the Museveni regime, the deceased was one enemy gone because it treats some people from certain regions of Uganda who reside in the diaspora as enemies of the state and more especially that he was a refugee. Diaspora social networking groups like Ugandans At-Heart (UAH) and Diaspora Power Ten (D/P10) as subversive.
INFORMATION IS POWER AND DEFIANCE IS THE WAY TO GO
LINK: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ugandansatheart/permalink/10153794747856338/BY SARAH NALUKENGE ON UAH FACEBOOK
Last month Uganda's parliament had to close down for almost two weeks because both the Speaker and her deputy had led a group of Members of Parliament and other government officials to the USA to attend the annual Uganda North America Association (UNAA) convention. UNAA is a community based organisation of Ugandans living in North America. It is a platform founded in 1988 that brings together Ugandans for purposes of knowing each other, networking, sharing and experiencing Ugandan culture and abundant opportunities available both in North America and Uganda. As a community outreach initiative, it affords Ugandans an opportunity to interact with fellow Ugandans in the diaspora. Initially, those Ugandans would converge annually for socializing and merry making but with time it evolves into what came to be known as the Annual Convention. Its objectives have also evilced over time to include discussing business opportunities and political developments in Uganda. There the annual convention has business and political forums at the sidelines of the main event.
Over the almost four decades of political and economic turbulences in Uganda, many Ugandans have settled in Europe and North America. Among them are refugees, settled Ugandan citizens and economic immigrants. When Museveni was fighting his bush war against the then government in the early 1980s, he had a powerful External Wing comprised of Ugandans based outside Uganda mostly as refugees. This External Wing played a major role in mobilizing resources for the fighters on the ground from Ugandans based outside, foreign governments, international organisations, politically and economically powerful individuals etc. Though after taking over power, Museveni has for selfish reasons tended to downplay the role of the External Wing, he is very mindful of the potential of Ugandans based outside the country to influence the political landscape in Uganda. When he took over power in 1986, the diaspora was awash with a vibrant exile community of Ugandans who did not approve his military take over. These exiles were mostly the Baganda aligned to the defunct pro-Buganda fighting groups, UFM and FEDEMO, former army officers, government officials and politicians of the ousted Obote II and the short lived Okello junta. Generally, it was mostly people originating from the Northern, Northeastern and Buganda regions who were concentrated in North America and Europe. Those of the Iddi Amin regime were concentrated in the Sudan and Congo. Indeed, these exiles became very active in supporting the insurgencies that cropped up immediately after he took over power.
In this regard Museveni moved very first to establish an intelligence outfit that would keep a close eye on these diaspora based Ugandans. He put in place the External Security Organisation (ESO) in 1987 whose role is to monitor the activities of Ugandan citizens based abroad who posed a security threat, monitoring all foreigners coming to Uganda, foreign companies and NGOs operating in Uganda, etc. Because majority of the Ugandans in the diaspora opposed to Museveni and based abroad at the time were mostly those hailing from Buganda, Northern and Northeastern regions, most of the Director Generals, Directors and heads of departments in ESO have been hailing from those regions. The likes of David Pulkol, Maku Angofulu Igga, Emmy Alio, Gen. Oketcho, Masolo, and the current Director General, Joseph Ochwet are all from those presumed hostile regions. Initially the pioneer Director Generals like Amama Mbabazi and Kahinda Otafiire tenure of office had handled the UPCs from western region - Among Bazira was assassinated in Nairobi while a number of others were lured back and manipulated into inactivity. However, for the usual ethnic considerations when it came to luring Gen. Ssejusa back to Uganda, Kuseceni had to use Janet Anyone and her team who have since then been incorporated into ESO where they are causing friction. Military Intelligence (CMI) has also been involves in external intelligence operations like luring renegade exiled soldiers, and kidnap of those bases in neighboring countries. Even Internal Security organisation (ISO) has been involved in external intelligence operations like was the case with the insurgents based in South Sudan where the likes of Philip Idro from Moyo district, Fred Tolit (CMI) from Acholi and Taban Amin (Deputy Director of ISO) from West Nile took charge of the insurgents in Congo and Sudan.
These Ugandans in the diaspora have over the years formed strong associations for socializing and networking. In North America there is UNAA and its breakaway factions of UNAA Causes, Tabamiruka, Gwangamujje, Banyakigezi; in Europe there is the likes of UK Uganda Convention, the Acholis Kachoke Madit, Langis Lango Assaciation; in the Nordics there is the Nordic Ugandans bases in Sweden. These strong communities that greatly contribute to the Uganda's economy through huge financial remittances have the potential to influence opinion in host countries and back home in Uganda. Mindful of this potential, the Museveni regime has over the years infiltrated these associations and made attempts to disorganise them prompting rumour mongering, mad sliding, swindling of funds, prompting splits. In some instances the Museveni regime has influenced the leadership of such associations. The Museveni regime had over the years been contributing US$ 20,000 annually towards the UNAA annual convention until recently when it increased it to US$ 100,000. The Museveni sponsored UNAA voting pattern has also succeeded in discarding the old guards from leadership positions in preference for the more youthful office bearers in recent years. With a total population of about 120,000 Ugandans in North America alone, the annual attendance of only about 1,000 delegates (the regime delegates from Kampala inclusive) is a clear testimony that a big majority of Ugandans in North America have no interest in UNAA. However, being the an organised grouping, the regime does not take chances in paying attention to its existence.
It is against this background that during the recently concluded UNAA convention where even the leading opposition leader Dr. Besigye was invited, the Museceni regime had to suspend parliament and spent billions to the tax payer's money to enable the Speaker and her Deputy to lead a strong delegation to the same convention. In the same respect when a US based Ugandan refugee, Alfred Olango 38 was recently shot dead by the police in San Diego, California, neither the Uganda government nor UNAA came up to demand for an explanation from the US government. Instead it was the US State Department Officials who out of courtesy tendered a letter of condolence to the Uganda Embassy in Washington regarding the same death. To the Museveni regime, the deceased was one enemy gone because it treats some people from certain regions of Uganda who reside in the diaspora as enemies of the state and more especially that he was a refugee. Diaspora social networking groups like Ugandans At-Heart (UAH) and Diaspora Power Ten (D/P10) as subversive.
INFORMATION IS POWER AND DEFIANCE IS THE WAY TO GO
--
Allaah gives the best to those who leave the choice to Him."And if Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it but He, and if He touches you with good, then He is Able to do all things." (6:17)
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