| KAMPALA
THE Army Council meeting at Bombo on Sunday condemned the former director-general of the Internal Security Organisation, Brig. Henry Tumukunde, for allegedly abusing his parliamentary mandate.
A resolution condemning Tumukunde was passed by the meeting presided over by President Yoweri Museveni.
A copy of the resolution obtained by Daily Monitor says, "The Uganda People's Defence Forces Council sitting at the UPDF headquarters, Bombo has this 5th day of June 2005 resolved as follows: to condemn Brig. Henry Tumukunde's abuse of the mandate given him by UPDF Council as a UPDF representative in Parliament; to welcome and accept his resignation from Parliament on the following grounds..."
Tumukunde, now in detention at the officers' mess in Kololo, was last week forced to resign as an army representative in Parliament for allegedly contravening army regulations.
The Defence Spokesperson, Maj. Shaban Bantariza, said in an interview yesterday that Tumukunde
contravened a resolution of the Army Council of January 18, 1994.
Council resolution
That resolution states, "On any controversial public issue, members of the NRA (now UPDF) should always take a stand that is in agreement with that held by the NRA as an institution. Where that stand has not yet been evolved, silence/restraint should be exercised, or the army leadership consulted. Personal opinions should not be published."
Tumukunde, who is also on charges of creating ghost soldiers on the UPDF payroll before the Military Court Martial, is blamed for appearing on a radio talk show on CBS FM on April 30 and later on Radio One.
He is accused of "spreading harmful propaganda" and breach of army regulations.
The Sunday meeting also accused Tumukunde of contravening standing instructions of the Forces Council to all its representatives in Parliament, including one that requires them to act mainly as "listening posts," and only "provide guidance where there is need or consult with the army when in
doubt."
Bantariza told Daily Monitor that Tumukunde had not been forced to resign, but had instead forced himself out.
Tumukunde's lawyers said last week that they would petition the Constitutional Court over what they called the army's action to force him out of Parliament.
At the Sunday meeting, President Museveni is also reported to have asked the army leadership to explain to soldiers and their families why the country is going to adopt a multi-party system and why political parties are needed at this time.
Request
"The Commander-in-Chief asked the army to explain why we should support the opening up to multi-party politics and why we should have political parties," said Bantariza.
At least 180 senior army officers attended the meeting, which started at 9am and went on late into the night. The meeting also resolved to discipline officers who make controversial public statements.
Museveni reminded the soldiers on the five major objectives for setting up the army, which included getting rid of dictatorship, empowerment of the people, restoration of national unity, being a pillar for social economic development and Pan Africanism.
These, he said, should be the army's guiding principles as the country goes through the political transition process.
Sources said the meeting also resolved to gag all talk on the third term whether for or against. The Council also discussed a new army code of conduct that is to be approved at the next me
eting.
Bantariza said the next meeting is expected soon because the army has to elect a replacement for Tumukunde.
Lt. Col. Kasiita Gowa, the UPDF representative on the Rwanda Joint Verification Committee, is said to be the front-runner for the seat ahead of the Chief of Military Intelligence, Lt. Col. James Mugira. | 
