rook,
lately you seem to be developing a habit of warning readers before they read certain articles; first it was Onyango Obbo, now it is Peter Mayiga. G. Obiny has also followed suit and is asking who Mayiga was in 1958. This reminded me of someone who, on another forum, declared that Kasangwawo was not yet born when all this was going on and therefore shouldn't be commenting on these issues. This sort of warped thinking would render the study of History redundant, since one has to have been there personally in order to have the right to comment on developments at a particular point in time.
That said, since rook is giving us some 'small background information', I thought I might just as well also give a little background information of my own, for readers of Obote's series. For the moment, I won't bother you with Obote II (1981-85), since testimonies of torture victims during that time speak volumes (see 'Obote series: What others say' in The Monitor).
For most of Obote I (1962-71), arbitrary arrests and detention without charge were the order of the day. These were carried out under the indefinite Emergency Regulations for Buganda which gave the government power to hold people without trial or sentence and which were increasingly used by Obote whenever he felt that his hold onto power was threatened. A few examples will suffice:
- all the staff of 'Sekanyolya', a Luganda newspaper, were arrested in May 1966 and held without charge or trial;
- Semakula Mulumba was detained in October 1970 because of two articles he wrote in 'Munno'. The first article criticized the narrow-mindedness of a one-party system and this was seen by Obote as an attack on his one-party state aims. The second one extolled the value of tribal traditions which Obote viewed as an attack on his policy to dissolve the Buganda Kingdom. So much for freedom of press under Obote !
- in October 1970, Obote ordered the arrest of Sheikh Ali Kulumba (later on Speaker of Lukiiko) and
Prince Badru Kakungulu (yes, the same one Obote is now claiming to have been having lunch with while his troops bombarded Kabaka's palace), both Moslem leaders of the well-established Uganda Muslim Community (UMC). Since 1965, Obote had been sponsoring another organization, the National Association for Advancement of Moslems (NAAM), in order to keep the influential UMC in check. I have to point out that NAAM did not have any mosques of their own and depended on the pity of some Moslem leaders to do their work. Sheikh Kulumba and Prince Kakungulu stood up to NAAM interference in the mosques. Things escalated when General Idi Amin (then Chief of Staff and Head of the Air Force) started to move away from NAAM and towards UMC. He was accepted by the UMC and he started appearing at their ceremonies. Obote viewed this as a threat to his government and consequently placed Amin under house arrest as well as stripping him of some of his powers. Obote also detained Kulumba and Kakungulu without charge or trial;
- other political prisoners detained without charge or trial included Grace Ibingira, Amos Sempa, Benedicto Kiwanuka, P.K.Mpungu, George Magezi, Dr. Christopher Kaggwa, Dr. Christopher Ndugwa, E. Kamanyi, Haji Abu Mayanja, Sir Wilberforce Nadiope, Douglas Kibuka-Musoke who worked for EA Railways, I. Senkoma - Kabaka's bodyguard, Henry Lwanga - accused of sedition, Charles Serukera - Ssaza Chief, Michael Matovu - Chief, et cetera, et cetera.
- Obote didn't stop there, he even turned on his own party members. Such one was a certain George M. Masaba, an active left-wing member of UPC and also chairman of the Vietnam Solidarity Committee (a group against American involvement in Vietnam). He was detained because he was seen to be idealistic and it was feared he might expose the corruption within Obote's government. According to the Uganda Argus of 27th November 1970, Masaba was released with 35 other political prisoners on 26th November 1970.
- after Obote's overthrow in January 1971, a list of 55 released political prisoners who had been detained without trial,was published in the local press. This included the 5 former cabinet ministers who had been arrested in 1966. More were released later.
This is the sort of background information readers need to keep in mind when reading the fables in Obote's series. If he was in power now, the Rwanyarares and Cecilia Ogwals would be languishing in Luzira for holding dissenting views.
Obiny says that he is proud Obote has been around. Well, some of us whose relatives and friends were at the receiving end are not amused that he was ever around.
Kasangwawo.
rook 1 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Geoffrey O,
Peter Mayiga is a young man of about 40 years or even younger. He completed his law school in 1986/7. He is also a rapid monarchist.(Its no accident that he is a minister there)
I remember having verbal fights with him at law school almost every other day and Peter was almost always on the very Verge of boxing me in the mouth whenever the argument wasn't going his way.
In spite of that we have always remind respectful of each other though i suspect Peter hated my guts for daring to tell him a few ugly truths about the 1966 criss.
So please i advise members here to read Peter with that small background information in mind.He is actually a nice young man who loves his Kabaka very much and thinks the world revolves around that institution.
Rgds
rook
Geoffrey Obiny <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Gentlemen,
First, a question or two:
Who was Charles Peter Mayiga in 1958? Or he is the Onyango Obbo type of person, spewing the same slanted story we heard before? The actor told his story-we would take seriously rebuttals by people like Abu Mayanja, Mayanja Nkangi.. who were part of the game. To assume that Mengo just invited a nobody from nowhere among those illustrous politicians of that time, and to mention as if being a party leader that time was no evidence of leadership and struggle is to abuse our intelligence. Further, to restate that the fate of Uganda was sealed in 1955 with the fate of Mengo is to tow the same narrow lane we know before. When Obote was interviewded by BBC about 3 weeks ago and the question of his interest to participate further in politics was put to him, he told the world that at 80 he was too old to lead the Party and would be handing over at the next Delegates Conference in August/ September 2005. When the reporter insisted that he could do like Museveni and say the people are forcing
him to offer himself for leadership, Obote was emphatic and stated that he is a leader who decides and he would tell anybody of this decision. This interview was opened to the whole world. Where is this perennial Obotemania coming from. For us who subscribe to UPC, we are proud he has been around, and that is why UPC is not like DP-crawling in the mud, that is why in the not very distant future, we will be there again. That is why DP or NRM-zero will again say UPC rigged elections. The class is there, and the difference should be as distinct as day and night.
Could I suggest that there are other more immediate and important things than Dr. Obote-like those who sympathize with DP, the startegies to rescue it from demise, and how the regionalization of Kingdoms are taking shape-which should take our attention. With Obote,leave him to UPC. They will handle that. If however you are responding to his series, then have the grip of facts like someone who was there, not spewing romours and lies. If those who were there are keeping quiet in acknowledgement, then that should be a sign for caution.
G.Obiny
Joseph Senyonjo <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Oryema,
It may indeed be that Ugandans mislead our leaders by being spineless, yes-men and women. Not to mention a lack of principles.
Joseph
Oryema Johnson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Unfortunately, the old man is not telling the nation and the rest of the world his story. He is campaining. It is hard to blame him. He is being misled as he was misled to mislead Uganda in the second return. The difference between Obote's second return and that of Jesus is that Jesus understood man's character very well during his first round, and thus he did not want to stick around when he returned from the dead. He asked for forgiveness and left. Mandela also understood man's character very well. He chose to listen to the voice of reason after having spent 27 years in jail on behalf of his people. His contribution was more than being in office for twenty terms something South Africans would have endorsed wholeheatedly had he sought a second, third, fourth and fifth term. Maybe it is Ugandans who mislead our leaders and not our leaders misleading us. Since I have been called the "House Nigger" I will leave it at that for the time being.
>From: "Dr. Benon Kisuule" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: [FedsNet] News: Critique of Obote's story >Date: Mon, 02 May 2005 18:48:22 -0400 > >Joseph: > >Interesting enough, when Nelson Mandela was asked if he was planning >to stand for >another term, his reply was, "What would an octogenarian be doing >in politics?" > >Similarly, what is Obote doing in politics? Has anyone told him >about the Gospel of >Jesus and about getting ready for eternity? Or has he just brushed >that matter aside >as heresy? > >The man seems to be staging a Jogoo (rooster) kind of come back. At >his age, the kifua >mbele kind of behavior is at variance with what most people expect. >I don't think those >people cheering that behavior of him are real and true friends of >his. They just want to use >him to capture eating places on the high table for themselves. I >very much wonder about >those people who continue to tell him that he did nothing wrong. >They are setting him up >for the wrong place in the hereafter. At Calvary there is not just >mercy. There is also grace. >Mercy is with holding from us what we deserve. Grace is bestowing >on us what we don't >even deserve. > >A true friend of this man should be talking to him about accepting >Christ as the Savior and >preparing himself for eternity. If there is a true friend of this >man with a private access >to him, please tell him about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We don't >want to write to him about >this in the media. That is my opinion. > >Benon Kisuule (Mzee Goppe) > > >========================================================== > >I am forwarding the story below because my reading of Uganda's >history, just prior to independence, and in the 1960s is very much >in agreement with what this gentleman says. In any case, it is >always good to get various perspectives on contentious issues. > >Obote�s story is pathetic >By Charles Peter Mayiga > >Age is wisdom � well, generally speaking. At 80 years of age one >would expect former president Apollo Milton Obote to seek, from >Ugandans, a genuine understanding of his actions during the two >times he was at the helm of politics. > >Obote has spent a total of nearly three decades of his life in >exile, which is enough time for an honourable person to ponder his >former actions and offer solutions that would heal old wounds and >nurture national consciousness. > >Obote�s story, as told to The Monitor, is largely a distortion of >history and in some instances blatant lies and it�s pathetic coming >from a man of his age! > >I commend The Monitor for bringing us Obote�s Story because it has >revealed a major factor of his character, which helps us understand >his actions when he was in power. > >If one were to believe the old man�s explanations of his political >exploits one could conclude that the very existence of this country >depends on him and his party, the UPC; that�s possibly the reason he >took reckless decisions in the 1960�s and 1980�s, which have plunged >Uganda into chaos, believing, as he seems to do, that he was >entitled to being the leader at any cost. >58f6e913.jpg > >OBOTE LIED: According to the writer, Obote and the Kabaka fell out >on 24 August 1964 when the former declared the UPC/KY alliance >dissolved and finally ordered the attack on the palace (Monitor >photo). > >But the facts, which this time I will restrict to the struggle for >independence and the 1966 Crisis, speak a different story from >Obote�s overstated prowess. > >When the British exiled Kabaka Edward Muteesa in 1953 a campaign was >launched for his return by all political forces in the country, with >the Kingdom of Buganda as the flag bearer for obvious reasons. > >Political players like I.K.Musaazi, Jolly Joe Kiwanuka, Eldard >Mulira and Matayo Mugwanya were supported in their demands for both >Muteesa�s return and self-rule for the country by the Mengo >Establishment. The Kabaka returned in 1955 as a hero, not in Buganda >alone but in the whole of Uganda, because his triumph was seen as >the precursor of the demise of colonial rule since that victory >nibbled at what was thought to be the invincibility of the British. > >After 1955 it became increasingly clear that the country was >determined to wrest itself from colonialism as the Lukiiko and >political parties were persistent in their demand for >self-determination. > >The main parties here were the UNC and DP; UPC came later on the >scene in 1960 after the merger of Obote�s UPP and UNC which gave >birth to UPC. So it�s not true as Obote claimed that UPC is the >oldest political party in Uganda! And until then Obote�s name >features a little remotely in the country�s struggle for >independence. It�s no wonder that the first self rule government in >1961 was led by DP�s Benedict Kiwanuka which won the first >elections, which were however boycotted by Buganda for reasons we >can divulge another time. > >The resolution of the �Buganda Question� was the major determinant >of the political processes that led Uganda to independence and in >that sense Mengo set the agenda for the country�s independence. > >When it was felt that Benedict Kiwanuka would not be the prime >minister to address Buganda�s concerns, Obote was invited by Buganda >to join political forces. > >Obote�s significant involvement with issues of independence, at the >national level, was his participation in the Lancaster Conference >which he was able to attend because of his alliance with Buganda�s >KY. The 21 KY MP�s of Buganda joined Obote and that saw him become >the first prime minister at independence. In my view Buganda and/or >Kabaka Muteesa II were the main players in the struggle for Uganda�s >independence. > >The biggest irony of Obote�s political life is that the forces that >propelled him to the top i.e Buganda, are the very ones he chose to >fight when he reached the pinnacle. > >His miseries and ostracisation are largely attributable to his >attack on the Kabaka�s palace and the abolition of kingdoms. >After 1966 chaos reigned in Buganda but the rest of the country was >at peace; however the seeds of the bush war, which was fought on >Buganda soil, that ushered in the NRM were planted the moment Kabaka >Muteesa fled his Kingdom although its immediate cause was the >rigging of the 1980 elections. > >The UPC chief has had enough time to reflect on the 1966 Crisis and >should have come up with a truthful story. The test of a true >statesman is the ability and humility to recognise a mistake when >committed and the courage to show contrition. > >For Obote to say that he didn�t know or order the attack against >Muteesa is very distasteful. >The estrangement between Obote and the Kabaka started on 24 August >1964 when the former declared the UPC/KY alliance dissolved. > >Then he conducted a referendum over the �Lost Counties� in such a >manner as to invite disaffection towards Buganda from the rest of >the country. On 4th December 1965 Obote, through Adeko Nekyon, >tabled a Bill intended to ban KY completely and it was published on >8th January 1966. > >Obote�s involvement in Congo with Idi Amin in 1965 caused him >problems; he and Amin were accused of ferrying gold from there whose >proceeds were allegedly placed in their personal accounts. Cabinet >recommended a Commission of Inquiry on 15th February 1966. On 22nd >February 1966 Obote detained five members of his Cabinet. On 23rd >February 1966 he named Amin Commander of the Army and sanctioned >training of a special unit under him, and there was troop movement >in Kampala without the knowledge of the Commander-in-Chief, >President Muteesa. On 8th March 1966 Obote suspended the >Constitution and made himself Head of State and of Government; on >the same day he ordered State House closed so that Muteesa could not >use it and the staff were ordered not to serve him. > >On 15th April 1966 Obote made himself a new constitution giving >himself executive powers of the presidency. >Obote gave five major reasons, before Parliament, why he ordered the >attack and he never said that Amin acted on his own. > >The reasons were that Muteesa had asked for troops from some >ambassadors accredited to Uganda to overthrow the Government; that >Muteesa had failed to sign the Lost Counties Act, although the >Constitution empowered the Prime Minister to assent to Acts where >the President was not in position to do so; that Muteesa had refused >to sign the Act setting out the Bunyoro/Buganda border after the >referendum; and that Muteesa had refused to perform the official >opening of Parliament. The Constitution had ample measures of >dealing with situations of this nature and recourse to the military >was not called for. > >In answer to Obote�s machinations the Lukiiko passed six resolutions >calling upon him to re-instate the Constitution but he did not >budge. The Kabaka�s Government even filed a civil action against the >Attorney General in the hope that the impasse could be resolved in a >civilised manner. > >The resolution to take the UPC Government off Buganda soil was >passed on 20th May 1966 because it was adjudged to have irredeemably >breached the Constitution under which it derived legitimacy. So for >Obote to say that he was having lunch with the late Prince Badru >Kakungulu when he �heard� bombs exploding at Mengo and that Amin >acted on his own is dishonourable. It�s a lie that shows that he >knows what he did was wrong but lacks the humility or statesmanship >to admit his wrongs and to apologise. >On the 24th May 1966 when the palace was attacked, the late prince, >who was a close confidant of Kabaka Muteesa, couldn�t be anywhere >near Obote when every one knew that the attack was eminent. > >Obote conjures up stories about dead people in his chronicle well >knowing they cannot talk and that indeed shows a glimpse of his >character and I think it will soil his legacy the more. >We shall however continue to dig up the truth to prevent a >distortion of our history. > >The author is an advocate and Minister in the Kabaka�s government at >Mengo > > > > > > > > >__________________________________________________ >Do You Yahoo!? >Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around >http://mail.yahoo.com > >____________________________________________________________________________________ > > > > >---------- >Yahoo! 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