Assassination Of Karegyeya Will Usher In Dictatorship
Saturday, January 18, 2014 - 00:00 -- BY KOIGI WAMWERE
Before my family and I send our heartfelt condolences to the family of
Patrick Karegyeya, let me say his assassination shocked and devastated me
because he was my friend, a great Rwandan and Ugandan patriot and an African
hero who was taken too early by the cruel hand of an assassin.
Assassination of Patrick Karegyeya by Rwandan agents, now admitted by
President Paul Kagame, hit me like assassinations of Chris Hani, J.M.
Kariuki, Tom Mboya, Patrice Lumumba, Thomas Sankara, Martin Luther King Jr,
Malcolm X, John and Robert Kennedys hit me before and those of Mahatma
Gandhi, Dedan Kimathi and Che Guavara hit mankind.
I loved and miss Patrick Karegyeya because he was a man who fought
oppression all his life and sacrificed his life for the freedom of humanity.
Mainly Patrick Karegyeya fought for freedom in Uganda and Rwanda. For his
opposition to dictatorship, he was jailed by Obote for three years. Later he
joined the government of Paul Kagame in Rwanda as one of his intelligent
chiefs.
I first met Patrick in 1986 when he worked as an intelligence officer in
President Musevenis government after the defeat of dictatorships of Idi
Amin, Okellos and Obote that together killed 800,000 Ugandans fighting
freedom and democracy.
When we applied for asylum in Uganda after fleeing Mois killer machine, we
were interviewed and recommended for asylum by Patrick Karegyeya. Under
pursuit of Kenyas Special Branch, UNHCR later relocated us to Norway and
Sweden but I kept links with Patrick.
When Rwanda Patriotic Front launched guerrilla warfare in Rwanda from
Uganda, Patrick stayed behind in Uganda, I believe as a key link between RPF
and Musevenis government in Uganda without whose support RPF would not have
won their struggle in Rwanda. When RPF took government in Rwanda, Patrick
relocated to the country as the chief of external intelligence.
Patrick was a true Pan Africanist who lived and fought for both Uganda and
Rwanda giving his best to both countries.
Since Patrick Karegyeya was killed, there has been a tussle regarding where
he will be buried. Though Patrick Karegyeya is both a citizen of Rwanda and
Uganda having fought for both countries against laws of God that no
person shall be denied a place of burial, leaders of Rwanda and Uganda who
claim to be champions of democracy and development have refused that Patrick
be buried in either country.
To the shame of East Africa, Patrick will be buried in South Africa. How can
leaders of East Africa claim to be integrating their countries and uniting
their people when they cannot allow a patriot and democrat of East Africa to
be buried in East Africa?
If Museveni could allow Idi Amin to be buried in Uganda, why can he not
allow a man who was born in Uganda, was jailed for Uganda and served Uganda
not be buried in Uganda? And does Kagame belong to Rwanda than Karegyeya?
Now Patrick will be buried in South Africa, a country whose struggle for
freedom he sympathized with but fought less for.
However, as we thank South Africa for accommodating Patrick in death, we
regret that the security she has given those to whom she has granted asylum
is so lackluster that fascist regimes have killed political opponents there.
This should never happen in a country whose leaders were themselves hunted
down in exile and out of power.
That Kagame and Museveni can deny Patrick the right to be buried in Rwanda
and Uganda means these two leaders believe they own their two countries at
the exclusion of others whom they consider subjects. Yet Patrick and others
did not fight for Rwanda and Uganda to make them exclusive properties of
leaders.
That Patrick was denied burial in Uganda and Rwanda also means his
assassination was also assassination of democracy in both Rwanda and Uganda.
Indeed if the assassination of Patrick can happen without condemnation of
East African leaders, in violation of South Africas sovereignty, followed
by a refusal of burial in gross violation of democracy and natural justice
means, the East African integration that Kagame and Museveni talk much about
is nothing but East African regional dictatorship.
Some Kenyans support the assassination of Patrick Karegyeya saying Kagame is
a benevolent dictator that Rwanda and Africa need for their development.
Such unapologetic support for dictatorship shocks because assassinating
dictatorships cannot be benevolent. Moreover, supporting tyranny means we
have forgotten cruelties of our one party dictatorship while many Africans
are selfish enough to build their wealth on the skeletons of fellow
citizens.
Indeed support of an economically successful Rwandan dictatorship reminds me
of German masses support for the Holocaust and Nazi tyranny, merely because
both were built on phenomenal industrial success, elimination of German
poverty and unprecedented hell for Jews. Many Kenyans will support
dictatorship hoping to benefit from it. When the dragon arrives however,
most will end up eaten.
The following are things I will always remember Patrick for.
One, when Kenya was discussing Mois comfortable retirement and some were
opposing it, Patrick told me a comfortably-retired president would be
Kenyas best gift to Africa. It would encourage Africas dictators to retire
rather than kill opponents to keep power forever in fear of misery in
retirement.
Two, during the Westgate attack by al Shabaab, Patrick called to wish
Kenyans well, a mark of true pan-Africanism.
Three, when African leaders were attacking ICC and demanding non-prosecution
while in office, Patrick said they were wrong. Was it a premonition of his
fate at the hands of African dictatorship?
They have killed Karegyeya but never the dream of freedom for Rwanda, Africa
and the world.
Thé Mulindwas Communication Group
"With Yoweri Museveni and Dr. Kiiza Besigye Uganda is in anarchy"
Kuungana Mulindwa Mawasiliano Kikundi
"Pamoja na Yoweri Museveni na Dk. Kiiza Besigye Uganda ni katika machafuko"
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