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From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]On Behalf Of Matek Opoko
Sent: June 22, 2005 1:18 AM
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Subject: [Ugnet] Men in Uniform Still Rule the Uganda Political FashionParadeMen in Uniform Still Rule the Uganda Political Fashion Parade
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The East African (Nairobi)
OPINION
June 20, 2005
Posted to the web June 21, 2005Charles Onyango-Obbo
NairobiThe big stories in the Uganda media in recent weeks have been, in that order: The criticism of President Yoweri Museveni's government by Brigadioer Henry Tumukunde, Tumukunde's arrest, his court-martial and, now, his replacement as army representative in Parliament by Brig Andrew Gutti.
Tumukunde had already been court-martialled earlier, following allegations that he padded the army payroll with "ghost soldiers" and, allegedly paid himself their salaries.
The good Brigadier's latest round of trouble came after he suggested that Maj. Gen. Museveni was a dictator, and he announced presidential ambitions of his own. He was arrested on charges of "spreading harmful propaganda".
Tumukunde went to court to block the "election" of another soldier to take his place. The court is to rule on June 23. It tells you what the army thinks of civilian courts, seeing as they didn't bother to wait for its ruling.
Because the Movement has ruled as a one-party half-civilian-half-military junta since it took power as a rebel army in 1986, and soldiers are regular furniture in our politics, Ugandans don't always realise that this is an anachronism.
Tumukunde was once Military Intelligence chief, head of the Internal Security Organisation, and many other things. He was a powerful and much-feared man. His recent metamorphosis into a democrat after he fell out with the powers that be, is a path well trodden by the men in uniform.
Unlike in Kenya or Tanzania, Ugandan army officers are celebrities of sorts. Every Ugandan who follows the news even with a casual interest, knows the army commander. The chief of external intelligence, and the boss of internal security are as well known as the national flag.
On a typical weekend, the army commander will be chief guest at a football match; the internal security boss will be the guest of honour at a beauty contest; and the external security top dog will be handing out prizes at the annual goat race.
IN TANZANIA and Kenya, security chiefs, apart from police commissioners, live an anonymous life. If you stopped 10 people on a Nairobi street and asked them who is the head of the country's intelligence organisation, two might know. If you asked them whether Kenya has an external intelligence organisation, and who is the CID boss, you will draw a blank.
Indeed, if you walked into a newsroom and asked 10 young journalists who is the head of the Kenyan Navy, you might get the same result. Pictures of Gen Joseph Kibwana, Chief of General Staff, tend to appear only at ceremonial occasions on national days and the like.
Why the difference? First, neither Kenya nor Tanzania has seen any conflict on its soil since the late 1950s.
Uganda, meanwhile, has lived with war and rebellions in regions of the country continuously since 1978. Also, it has never had a change of leader or ruling party through the ballot. It's always been by the bullet.
However, because Uganda has been a de facto one-party state for the past 19 years, the only other institution that is organised enough to threaten the hold of the president on power is the military. In a multiparty system, if nothing else, the opposition's noise can keep the government fairly occupied. And the opposition too gets jealous when it sees the army eyeing the presidency.
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East Africa
Uganda
Arms and Military AffairsThis history has distorted Uganda's politics considerably. The result is that even in the opposition, the most outspoken people are ex-security chiefs. The people who are thought to have some chance of beating Museveni, who is running for an unprecedented fifth term in 2006 are, you guessed right, former Army Commander Maj-Gen Muntu Mugisha and Col. Kizza Besigye - if he's allowed to return from exile.
Charles Onyango-Obbo is Nation Media Group managing editor for convergence and new products.
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