Mr. Dambisya,
I thought Mr. Kanyeihamba's expertise was in law as it applies to urban planning rather than constitutional law. At least that is what his 1974 dissertation title at the University of Warwick (not Warwich, as he puts it elsewhere) would lead one to believe (Kanyeihamba, George W.. - Law in urban planning and development in East Africa). I think he also has a pamphlet on the topic (published 1978).
Be that as it may, I think it is clear that no letter, linking Ssekabaka Muteesa II to the fictitious importation of arm to overthrow the Uganda goverment by force, exists anywhere.
No matter how many people repeat a lie or how frequently they do it, it does not thereby become an established fact. I'd hope that Kanyeihamba, as lawyer and judge, might be familiar with this concept.
Much as Obote die-hards might find it difficult to believe: the short answer and innescapable conclusion is that Obote lied & connived, as was his wont. Grace Ibingira, his former colleague and confidant -- and UPC legal advisor to boot -- said so in very simple and plain English.
I suspect that in this here neck-of-the-woods he would be called a filthy-layin' S.O.B. but this is not exactly news either.
I have addressed the other issues elsewhere and will not belabor them here.
As to the royal 'we', er, we are not amused ...
Ssemakula
----Original Message Follows----
From: "YOSWA DAMBISYA" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: ugnet_: Re: Kanyeihamba on the Phantom Arms ofthe1960s,Ibingira and theConspiracies
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 15:43:49 +0200
Omw Ssemakula, let me attempt to address the queries you raised after
reading through the quote from Kanyeihamba's book.
>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 07/21/03 08:46PM writes
I have not read/seen Kanyeihamba's book. What you state of the
gentleman's credentials hardly impresses anyone as to his credibility as
a source of information.
All I did was to copy as is on the cover of the book the author's name.
Believe me, that's how it appears. As to whether the credentials have
any bearing on the credibility as a source of information, are you
withdrawing "trained attorney" from the points that make Ibingira a
credible source? If so, why did you bring it up to begin with? And if
you want a "trained attorney" believed, what about a law professor,
senior counsel, and justice of the supreme court? I've "known" you long
enough in this cyberworld to know that shifting goal posts is not one of
your techniques in intellectual discourse.
>>> Here is what would help me determine if his book is worth spending
time on.
>>>a. What was his role in those days (1960s)? i.e. did he personally
witness the events he writes about, or did he, like the rest of us,
depend on the rumor-mill (a.k.a. 'Radio-Katwe') as his source of
information.
He does not say, but what comes out is that he had previously covered
the constitutional devt around that time before in Constitutional Law
and Government
>>>b. If he did not witness the evenst from close quarters, as Ibingira
did, whom did he interview (it usual to give your source in academic
endeavors of this nature, e.g. see Michael Wright's book, Buganda in the
Heroic Age or other historical writings).
See my response to Dr Kigongo. He cites a good number of sources,
including Ibingira himself. If it is sources you want, you wont be
disappointed: Ibingira, Mujaju, Karugire, Kasozi, Mudoola, Kabwegyere
and many others are quoted at various points
>>>>c. Since much of your excerpt depends on a letter alleged written
to the Queen of England by consiratorial Baganda traditionalists, does
Kanyeihamba or can you, give us a reprint of this letter, or point us a
source where this letter has been published, so we satisfy ourselves
that:
(i) its existence not a figment of somebody's imagination
(ii) not a forgery (the miracle mordern technology can assist one in
determining if something is a genuine article or not).
Kanyeihamba does not reprint the said letter in his book. The section
where it is mentioned has footnote references to senior civil servants
in the government of the time and to cabinet minutes/cabinet papers,
Statehouse, Entebbe. I have never seen the letter, if it existed, and so
I am definitely not in a position to give you a reprint of the letter or
the source where such letter has been published. Perhaps an appeal to
Kanyeihamba himself would be more appropriate.
>>>>This is because we can hardly beleive that if such a letter
actually existed -- and were genuine -- Obote and his indefatigible
henchmen would not have publicized to the widest possible extent as
proof-positive of Ssekabaka Muteesa's and Baganda's wickedness!
Now you are adopting the royal "we", aren't you! I cannot argue with
that.
>>>Please keep in mind that the British government has released/leaked
a great many documents -- even supposedly secret documents -- concerning
Uganda (and other areas), and that various archives of those documents
are accessible to the ordinary Kibuuka and Opio. If I am not mistaken,
they in fact relaese documents 25 years or so after the events, except
for 'sensitive' or 'active' ones.
I am aware of the release of documents under the official secrets act,
but does that even cover Her Majesty's correspondence?
>>>>Finally, in the meantime could you please gives us the books TOC
(Table of Contents)?
I'll gladly do so, and I am sorry for having given the impression that
the whole book is about that "episode" of our historical devt. Here is
the TOC:
Chapter One : The Foundation of Uganda
- Declaration of th Protectorate
The Uganda Order-in-Council
Executive and Legislative Council
Extending Representation to the People.
Chapter Two: Independence
-Political pluralism
-Traditional rulers
-The 1961 Legislative Council
-The Constitutional Conference in London
-The Pre-Independence Elections
The Dramatic Years
-The Conspiracies
-Monarchism goes into Hibernation
-The Republican Constitution of 1967 - A prelude of Instability
Chapter 3: The Age of Militarism in Uganda
Chapter 4: Power Rides Naked Through Uganda Under the Muzzle of a Gun
Chapter 5: The Return of Obote
Chapter 6: The National Resistance Movement
Part I: In the Bush
Part II: fundamental Change
Part III: The Contentious Legacies of the NRM
Chapter 7: Democracy, Freedom, the Rule of Law and Powers of Government
in Uganda
Chapter 8: Resume'
Bibliography
Index
345 pages, plus i - viii for Dedication, acknowldegement, foreword and
preface.
Now why do I feel as if you've just got me to do a commercial for
Kanyeihamba's book?
>>>>I'll be happy to address the specific issues in your excerpt once I
hear from you. Ideally, I'd very much prefer to reply to you after I
have had a chance to read the book and have formed an informed opinion
of it.
As you will see, I was unable adequately to answer most of your queries
/issues, but I agree that you'd form a better opinion of that work after
reading through it. For the avoidance of any doubt, I quoted that work
only to show that other writers on that period may have differing views
from Ibingira's. It was not supposed to be an endorsement by me of the
views/record as presented by Kanyeihamba.
>>>>ps: why does a book whose title suggests that it deals with events
in the 1984-Present time frame dabble in events that happened in the
early 1960s?
That was a mistake on my part, the 1984 should read 1894! And in an
earlier note I told Dr Kigongo that I'd cross-checked and everything was
accurate! My defense: I'm only human.
Best regards,
Yoswa
