{UAH} TODAY IN HISTORY

By Afunah Dixy TinTin

TODAY IN HISTORY

The Moshi conference, which led to the downfall of Amin sat today 1979. At 6am today, Radio One hosted one of the guys who attended the conference but somehow I didn't get to capture his name. Though, I managed to capture all his story.

According to his narration, it all began from a Ugandan soldier stationed at Mutukula border. This soldier had a girlfriend in Tanzania. When Mbokane Mbokane yawned, he crossed into Tanzania to meet his girlfriend. While there, Tanzanian soldiers arrested him and detained him for a night. When released the following day, he returned to his post in Mutukula, got his gun, crossed back into Tanzania and opened fired at the guys who had detained him the previous day. All escaped unhurt.

This was the perfect opportunity Ugandan exiles had been waiting for. Hundreds of Ugandan exiles across the world had formed several rebel groups aka parties but had no where to start from. When this incident happened, they amplified it, how Amin had attacked Tanzania... "you see, he has already crossed into Tanzania....if you remain ndiwulira, you'll wake up when he's in Dar es Salaam".  Nyerere was convinced the shots fired by the Mbokane guy was indeed a war waged against him by Amin. Yet, according to the narrator, that was the last thing Amin would do. "He was fully aware any search move would lead to his downfall and couldn't dare for even a minute.." Meanwhile Nyerere responded swiftly and in seconds Amin had been deposed.

So Ugandan exiles under 28 different 'political parties' or rebel groups met today at what came to be the Moshi Conference to form a govt which was to replace Amin. Amin the 'rebel leaders' to have attended that meeting was Obote, Butcherman and Justice Kanyeihamba (yes, he was president of Uganda Human Right Group). The other notable names were Prof Mahmoud Mamdani, Prof Tarsis Kabwegyere, Martin Aliker, Paul Muwanga, Binaisa, Yusuf Lule, Eric Allimadi, John Barigye etc. They all had their own political parties...based in Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania, UK and USA. When they met, Nyerere's choice had been Obote. However, this was opposed by majority of the attendants, saying the masses were likely to reject him over what he did in 1966 (banishment of Kabaka) which later culminated into his downfall. They suggested the person to replace Amin had to have a Buganda appeal. So, that person had to be a Muganda. That's how Prof Lule ended up being president albeit for oba just a year till the 1980 election that Museveni claimed had been rigged.

What I made out of this is it was Ugandans in the diaspora who deposed Amin only that they slept on the job and a worse Amin found his way into State House. Ugandans in Uganda? None could dare take on Amin.

To put it into today's context, like in the 70s, indeed Ugandans in the diaspora have done everything within their reach to liberate Uganda. From funding the struggle to lobbying the international community and then to protests against the dictatorship. This is because it is only them who can take on the dictator. Ugandans in Uganda? Four things are likely to happen. If you are not killed, you will be abducted. If you are not any of the two, you either die from 'covid' or you are arrested! I just can't believe it is coming to four months that hundreds of youths have spent in jail. Not for corruption that Uganda is mainly known for. Not for theft of tax payers money. Not for murder or any crime but simply for supporting Bobi Wine. To imagine they can stay in jail for that long and everything goes on like nothing is wrong is heartbreaking.

These guys have been betrayed by their families. They have been betrayed by their political party. They have been betrayed by us, Ugandans. Quite demoralising... Not just to them but even others.

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"When a man is stung by a bee, he doesn't set off to destroy all beehives"

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