From: Pinytek My Friend Chris,
Thanks for your observations on some of my postings. If you knew the history of Uganda and wanted to be honest with yourself and the informed Afrikans on this forum, you would have been clear about the backgrounds of Idi Amin and Tito Okello, the two forces that were fronted to overthrow the elected government of Milton Obote. Any insinuation as if to celebrate military coups against elected governments in Africa is rather unfortunate, considering the obvious facts about the destruction and havoc these forces commit to our continent. 1. That Obote was twice overthrown on months before multi party elections suggest something about the quality of some of the democratic opposition in Afrika, where we opt for the bullet (for short termism) rather than the ballot. Regardless, Amin was not Obote's creation. He was in fact a problem that Obote saw - an obstacle to the Afrikanisation of the country and the building of a professional army. First, Amin was rapidly promoted by the British, well trained, trusted and very much used especially in the Sudan, shortly before Uganda's independence. Like other southern Sudanese and northern Ugandans, the British used most men from these regions because they were considered tall, athletic and strong - convenient fronts to fight proxy wars. Most were therefore recruited into the British Kings African Regiment. By independence, Amin was the highest ranking African in the Uganda army - although not necessarily the most educated. We now know that it was not because of his training or anything else, but his brutality. Obote, as the new Prime Minister, set out on a course of creating a young, professional, national (across the country recruitment) and educated. By the late sixties, there were young, well trained, nationalistic and educated officers. Obote's mission was partly about changing the colonial face of the army (quite rightly), such that well educated officers like Brigadier Okoya were due to take over from Amin as the Commander of the army. Partly because of his role in gold smuggling in the Congo ( which Obote was investigating and which he was about to be arrested), partly because he knew that Okoya was the likely candidate to take over from him (quite rightly), he quickly went on to murder Brigadier Okoya. With the Isreali establishment firmly rooted in Uganda since before independence (proposed new home as per the British) and, angry at Obote's stance on the Arab / Isreali conflict, the Palestinian question, the refusal to award some development contracts, the conditions of awarding some contracts (the Isreali's insisted that any project that they were involved in, they should import everything from sand, timber, roofing sheets and even water, labour, except cleaners and porters). Obote refused, saying that the country had all these and, as a new young nation with its own graduates, it was tatamount to continuation of colonialism and, nothing like UHURU! Further, Obote's stance on what you accept as liberation struggles credentials on Southern Africa was obvious. You know that Isreal was a fan and ardent supporter to apartheid in Southern Africa until the morning of independence. Coupled with father Britain, who was also being bushed by Obote, Isreali officers approached Idi Amin and advised him that they had a solution for him - how he could get out of the mess he had found himself with the head of state, namely his likely arrest and detention and his likely demotion - the anwser? We will support you to overthrow the guy so that you become the Chief!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In brief, that was how Amin came to be. Obote therefore did not create Amin. He found Amin. It could be argued that part of his attempt to deal with Amin helped make Amin an easy target for anti Africanist forces to be used. I think Obote should be hailed for that. 2. Tito Okello was no creation of Obote either. Credit to Okello by the way, he was, with Africa's lion of war, the Late Oyite Ojok (may his soul rest in eternal peace), the two leading Ugandan commanders of the Uganda's wing of the liberation forces that routed Amin from power. The other forces were of course the Tanzanian defence forces. Museveni has attempted to re-write history by claiming that he fought and defeated Amin.....nonsense. His role (a long story) was partly to kill, kill and kill Ugandans who happened to be Moslems (simply because Idi was a moslem) in Mbarara and Masaka axis of the war. Like Amin, it is not surprising that he took up arms after the multi party elections in 1980 in order to save his neck. Whether he is saved it for good, time will tell. Tito Okello, who apparently housed and aided Museveni substantially when he (Museveni) was a no-body at the time, was, as you know, propelled to take over power by three forces namely ; (a) Tiny Rowland, the late chief of Lonrho group of companies. Tiny had been introduced to Obote in the early 80s by Kenneth Kaunda, a friend (at the time to Obote ) and perhaps a business friend to Tiny. When Obote accepted to meet Rowland, he was surprised by the subjects of the meeting - he wanted to buy the entire cotton industry in Ugadna, then rigorously under rehabilitation by the newly re-elected government of Obote and securing the full contract for an ambitious proposed oil and gas supply pipeline from Mombasa - Kenya into Uganda. Obote humbly declined the suggestions, said such matters would come to him via the Cabinet anyway and, even then, he would not accept such a proposal. Tiny Rowland, arrogant and used-to-bashing-corrupt-African presidents straight away insisted and told Obote "Mr. President, this deal would be good for you and your ministers...."Obote retortated forthwith and told Tiny that he was outraged that after a decade of a regime of murder and terror, when he is just trying to return the country to normality, Rowland (Musungu/Oyinbo) was now trying to sow seeds of corruption in his new government and ministers! He was reminded that his conduct would otherwise surfice him as a perona grata in the country. Rowland, who had never been rebuffed by an African president - let alone any African for that matter rushed out of Uganda, went to Nairobi, flew to London and, from London into Sweden ( where Museveni, who had been defeated both at the ballot and in the bush) had sought political asylum. He started funding Museveni, gave everything, bought PR machinery for him in London - as you perhaps know- including the Murdochite press - to launch a vicious anti-Obote propaganda in the west while propping up a murderous monster who had not only lost elections, but was instrumental in massacre of innocent Ugandans in Luwero triangle and city bombings in Kampala. Tiny provided the aircrafts that trafficked Museveni between Nairobi and Entebbe. This turning of governance into personal business by a man Ted Heath called the Ugly Face of Capitalism (Tiny) and Museveni should be condemned. I am glad I could not and would never be a party to such abuse of Africas lives and resources. Obote should be commended for his stand hence, to say that he only contributed to liberation of other African states when he has systematically sought to protect for Uganda and that which belongs to Africa in the most prudent way is to send mixed signals to contemporary African leaders. (b) The western politicians and media - some of whom had been suspicious that Obote might be vengeful for their role in aiding and abating Amin for over a decade was fertile ground for the Tinys, although the British government (though played double) actually worked well - to their surprise with Obote, and found Obote a pragmatist Africanist whose mission was the freedom of his peoples and their economic emancipation rather than revenge. (c) The DP /Catholic establishment (my Church by the way) - The Democratic Party of Uganda, just like they decided to join Amin in a military government made the same mistake again. Having lost to the UPC - instead of learning lessons, planning and waiting for the next round, opted to have one leg in parliament and the other - in the bush - with Museveni. The Catholic establishment, a traditional support base for DP played its part and it is now common knowledge that some of the key plannings of the Okello coup were carried out in Bishops house in Gulu and with knowledge, support and active participation of non other than the Arch Bishop of Kampala, the Late Cardinal Emmanuel Nsubuga (may his soul rest in eternal peace) - the head of the Catholic Church in Uganda. I remain an extremely proud Catholic you know! The DP /Catholic establishment, using resources and logistics and coupled with links with Museveni now in exile - using tacit monies from Tiny Rowlands, surborned senior (disgrantled officers) again, Tito (who like Amin was due for retirement ) and Bazillio Okello - an illiterate, stauch colonial style DP member with a gradge - wanted to be the Army Chief of Staff you know!!!!!!! were easily used to stage this coup. I am sure that Bazilio, shortly before he died a miseble death in Khartoum, was crying with nobody but Cardinal Nsubuga and the DP leadership for misleading him into overthrowing an elected and progressive government. For these reasons, you will recall that when the Okello forces stormed Kampala, Ugandans were puzzled when one of the first radio and television announcements were to invite "Hon. Yoweri Museveni to report to Kampala immediately......" Museveni did not! He had tricked them, had his grand plan and the rest is now a long history. The Okello coup, though a marriage of convenience by different forces did not last long. The Okellos were beaten and humiliated to death. DP is now almost a dead party -most members do not know whether they are NRA/NRM - Museveni, NRA/NRM - Besigye, or they are with political leaders Paul Ssemwogerere, Bwengye, or Besigye. Only the Tiny element and Museveni's ego continue to enjoy, as the Republic of Uganda is mortgaged to dubious foreign individuals and a the rest remain for the cronies and yes, yes women and men of Museveni. The fact, therefore, that Obote was twice overthrown does not make him any less democratic or for that matter unpopular. Obote would have won the 1971 general elections had he not been overthrown. He was on course to even a bigger landslide victory in 1985, had the opposition remained true to the principles of democracy and not joined hands with gun-men, quislings and imperialist forces. Obote (UPC) was on course for a bigger win in 1985 than 1980 for two reasons; i) Within four years, the economy had been turned around from the decline of Idi Amin and it was growing at 6% - the highest in Africa at the time (1985). Industries had been rehabilated, most roads reconstructed, health services expanded, education expanded from Universities, higher colleges, high schools, secondary schools and primary school intake. By 1984, the standard of living peaked where it was left when Amin came in 1971! Universal free primary education, a policy plugarised by Museveni with the help of basket money, was due to start in 1991 -using internally generated resources and, when there would have been enough teachers, schools, scholarstic materials and whole infrastructure - not 500 kids under a tree! ii) Between 1981/84 there was mass defection / crossing the floor by Members of Parliament from DP to the UPC! This partly deals a blow to the myth about the 1980 general elections. That after 17 years of Obote's absence in Uganda and Musevenis brutal and unchallenged rule, he and his friends abroad are not yet ready to allow free and fair multi party elections like is the norms these days in Africa should make one ask themselves truly why! The UPC would win convincingly. For DP and other political forces, the sooner they woke up and joined hands with champions of democratic rights in Uganda, the better for the younger generation in attempting to rebuild that country, that region and the whole of Africa. If you have any specific brutality or particular chaos under Obote, please share it with the wise Africans and friends on this forum and we shall discuss it openly and objectively. Of course Obote the man is no Saint. That said, I am surprised that you seem to dismiss Obotes contributions to Africa's liberation. This reminds me about what a senior South African friend said recently that young south Africans (Azania) these days tell off their leaders to the effect..."do not tell us about apartheid...we did not ask you to fight for us...." What a shame. How we seem to forget so soon - especially when it is not pinching us directly. But again, I am consoled by the fact that Africa's most celebrated Continentalist, Kwameh Nkrumah, was not necessarily most loved in his country - not by all. Am sure you know that. Recently I shared company with a Ghanian businessman in close circles of the ruling party of president Kuffour. He told me that he would rather put on Obote's badge ( which I do) than one for Nkrumah, if there was one. But he said he respected Nkrumah's contributions to Ghana and Africa. That said, I would be disappointed if you were more interested in being balanced than facts. This forum could do better with balanced and obective discourse if factual. Anything sentimental does not help the core object of AWB - namely historical facts; contemporary context and constructive ideals for Africa's problems for all of us in order to prepare our rather not very happy continent for posterity. These most times requires going beyong partisan politics. You will notice that simply for that, I have rarely attacked DP and, strangely, even Kizza Besigye's Reform Agenda. We believe that the problems in Uganda today is one of governance - one party-cum military dictatorship. Ugandans and all Africans who purport to be so and civilized, should join hands and say no to the ongoing criminal wrongs in that country and region. So much that it would be sad to suggest that if there wrongs in the past - and there were - that these should be used as excuses to conceal genocide, murder, torture and the muzzlement of democratic rights and freedoms of the individual. My discourse on this forum has been based on nothing but facts. I believe that in that way I am going some way in making my contributions into the perspective and solution to Africa's problems of today in an attempt to come up with solutions for posterity. Credibility? I am a mad lover of that concept. Finally, you nearly worried me when you said that knowing African leaders, you would take the question of Obote with caution. It is in fact for that reason - that most African leaders are no great examples for their peoples, that I find myself fully committed to supporting those that deserve to be supported. Remember, even Saint Mandela has been bashed in this forum and, in this forum, he has been defended. Who else? Mbeki? Mugabe? We should be critical where it is right to do so and give credit where it is due. So far, no one has been able to link a single death of a Ugandan or any other person to Milton Obote. No one has singled out and proven one corrupt and dubious conduct or deal by Mzee Milton. The problem with others is that no one perhaps ever will. When Idi Amin came to power ( I may repeat this), the British sent in their elite Scotland Yard to investigate mulpractice under Obote in order to justify their coup against the man. They found nothing. Museveni instituted a commission of enquiry into the supposed violation of human rights in Uganda ( strangely only covering Obote's rule). Nothing came up. Poor Museveni, he wanted to have something to sing about. Nothing. Instead it is Museveni who has a lot to answer for - the killing of his own house girl in Tanzania. The disappearance of two of his close friends in Tanzania (known to be his rivals) - including Raiti Mongin and the Brother of Frank Mwine, whom he bribed later with the governorship of Uganda Commercial Bank - A national institution founded in the image of Obote's African economic emancipation dream. The drawning of over three hundred anti Amin guerrilas in Lake Victoria (simply because they were not forces loyal to him), the killings in Mbarara and Masaka as already stated. The Luwero massacres, the killing of Dr. Andrew Kayiira, a former ally and leader of UFM, the rape and torture of innocent civilians in Kampala, northern, eastern and western Uganda. The burning alive of over 100 women, children and young men in a railway wagon in Mukura, Teso, the killing of Rwandese, Barundi (x2) and Congolese presidents....My brother, and the list goes on. And, yes, the corruption! Which serious business enterprise in Uganda does not have either Museveni, his son, his brother, his daughters, his in-laws, his local cronies or his personal foreign friends? If it was not for Pakistan and Nigeria, Uganda would be miserable as the most corrupt nation on earth. Is it any surprise that his best friends in the region are nothing but gun-men? Kagame and, you can imagine how much he misses close ally Jonas Sivimbi, a ruthless monster who like Mongosuthu Buthelezi and Mobutu, were fronts for apartheid (sorry I keep referring to this, knowing that others do not like to hear these words anymore!) forces. Africans, the list goes on. This is broad day light genocide which, like in the Sudan, Congo and Angola, it has to stop. I hope this is a useful conversation. Pinytek [EMAIL PROTECTED]
