Chebrot, Seiko Clash Over Guns
Email This Page Print This Page The Monitor (Kampala) December 15, 2002 Posted to the web December 16, 2002 Chris Obore Kampala An aide to Lt. Gen. Salim Saleh has alleged that Tigeny MP Steven Chebrot has accused him of transporting illegal guns to Kapchorwa. "That man (Chebrot) has reported me to government that I took guns to Kapchorwa during presidential elections to help President Museveni. Chebrot is spoiling my name," Juma Seiko said Saturday. He said that Chebrot told the minister of Internal Affairs Eriya Kategaya that the guns are now in illegal hands. Seiko alleges that Chebrot told the minister he (Seiko) carried the guns from Summit View in Kampala. He said that during a meeting on Nov. 1 in the ministry's boardroom, Chebrot said that Seiko is fuelling insecurity in Kapchorwa. "But I didn't take any guns. I am not a thug, I am not a terrorist," Seiko said. Seiko says the minister of state for Security Muruli Mukasa and other security personnel attended the meeting that was chaired by Kategaya. Kategaya is leading efforts to reconcile Kapchorwa leadership that has wallowed in wrangles for a long time. Seiko says that Chebrot reported him as having had a hand in the murder of Kapchorwa CAO, James Onyait. The CAO was waylaid in October and more than 10 bullets were pumped into his body. "I am not the one who killed Onyait. In fact, I was not happy about the killing," Seiko said. Chebrot, however, says that he has evidence that Seiko took guns from Kampala to Kapchorwa during the elections. "That matter is under investigations. We had a meeting with Kategaya and we said all guns recovered from thugs were linked to Seiko," Chebrot said yesterday. "He cannot deny that he has guns. We have evidence, and thugs who killed the CAO are linked to him." He further alleged that security organs in Kapchorwa say that all thugs arrested with guns confess that they work in collaboration with Seiko. Chebrot said that since several people have been murdered in Kapchorwa, he would not stop talking about Seiko and the illegal guns. As a condition for political reconciliation spearheaded by Kategaya, Chebrot says that they have demanded as a minimum requirement that all guns taken to Kapchorwa during elections be recovered and returned. Seiko, however, says that instead of educating people on how to 'kill' poverty, Chebrot spends most of his time talking ill of him. "One day my head will go off and I will walk to Parliament and tackle Chebrot," an angry Seiko said.