Ssemujju’s article evokes memories of Kevin Aliro

Kyadondo East MP Ssemujju Nganda’s viewpoint published in the Observer newspaper of May 22, 2013, reminded me of my first encounter in 1996 with Kevin Ogen Aliro (RIP) who was a columnist with the Monitor. We met at Monitor’s former premises on De Winton Road, Kampala.

Before I carry on, let me thank Mr Nganda for his incisive, witty and pertinent opinion titled, “Museveni should be Lord Mayor, edit Daily Monitor”. As a regular reader of his column, I appreciate his insights on a variety of current political issues; the courage and clarity which he brings to bear in his opinions is commendable.

One day in 1996, I took off a few minutes from my office at Parliament House to go out for tea at a café on De Winton road. After the tea break, my instinct led me to stop at the nearby Monitor offices.

On arrival, I enquired at the reception for Kevin Ogen Aliro whom I had never met, but knew as author of a weekly column called, “A letter to my Mother”. The receptionist asked whether I had an appointment with Kevin and I answered no; she buzzed and informed him that yours truly from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wished to meet him. Without any hesitation Kevin instructed the young lady to escort me to his office.

Although we had never met before, Kevin welcomed me warmly and made me feel at home. After we exchanged business cards and pleasantries, I informed Kevin that as a regular reader of his column, I had come to pay a courtesy call and congratulate him for a job well done. He graciously accepted my compliments, but what struck me was Kevin’s humility and simplicity. I thanked him for his excellent and courageous articles which clearly brought out his commitment to the political issues he often addressed without fear or favor.

As an older person who had witnessed and experienced the ups, downs and tribulations of Ugandan politics, I cautioned Kevin to be careful because a promising journalist like him deserved to live a long life to serve the people of Uganda and Africa.
In addition, a shining star like Kevin would inspire many young men and women to rise and shine like him. In a nutshell, I expressed appreciation for his work, but advised him to tread with caution because there were dark forces out there who do not want wananchi to know the truth.

Kevin listened patiently and attentively to the stranger who was offering some unsolicited advice which I hoped he would accept as wise counsel. When I finished, Kevin thanked me and what followed was beyond my imagination. He felt confident enough to share with me his own personal trials and tribulations. Out came a story which I had kept for years locked up in my God- given memory chip until I read Ssemujju’s piece in the Observer!

Kevin told me the dark forces I had warned him about had, in fact, already confronted him at his office in broad daylight and even at night when they felt that he was pursuing a policy of “no change”. Kevin told me that one day some operatives from ISO visited him at his office. After identifying themselves they interrogated him about the contents of his column, “A letter to my Mother” which according to them was anti- NRM, which Kevin said he denied.

Like many people, they assumed and actually told him that he was writing bad articles to tarnish the image of the NRM regime because he was a northerner. To their dismay, Kevin politely told them that he was from Eastern Uganda! This prompted one of Kevin’s uninvited guests to ask him: “So why do you defend and support those killers?” I was stunned to learn that 10 years after the fundamental change of 1986, some Ugandans were classified as killers!

The quest for a “Nile Republic” originates or stems from and thrives on such wholesale and totally unjustified denigration of millions of people from an entire region of Uganda!
Kevin told me that his response to the question was that the atrocities which NRA had committed in northern Uganda were, in principle, as deplorable as those committed by UNLA in Luweero and West Nile during the 1980s. Irrespective of who violated the human rights of Ugandans with impunity, it must be challenged and exposed.

Kevin said he calmly told the security operatives that the gross violation of human rights of Ugandans which has sadly been an enduring legacy of all regimes since 1962 should be stopped. He continued that all governments must learn to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Ugandans, irrespective of the region and ethnic group they come from.

Kevin’s guests got an earful, but before departing, they warned him to stop publishing articles which from their perspective tainted the name of government. At the end of what proved to be a mutually beneficial meeting, we agreed that if an African government wants to get good media coverage, what it must do is respect the rule of law, protect freedom of the press, tell citizens the truth and operate transparently. May the LORD grant Kevin eternal rest!!

Mr Acemah is a political scientist, consultant and a retired career diplomat. [email protected]