It’s time NRM visited history of Amin and its aftermath

Cliché it is, and as old as time, but the adage that history repeats itself just does not go stale. Reading from the Memoirs of Uncle George Kihuguru and Student’s life at Makerere University, 1968-1995, George Kihuguru, who was Dean of Students and also in charge of wardens at Makerere University, one can’t help, but think of our history.

Among the many issues in there, are the intriguing ones of the record of some of the most mysterious and befuddling disappearances and murders in Uganda’s history. They have remained unresolved and are a subject for endless debate.
The 1973 disappearance of vice chancellor of Makerere University Frank Kalimuzo, and the March 1976 murder of Paul Sserwanga, a third year Law student. Then the case of a one Miss Kariuki; a Kenyan student who ‘vanished’ from Africa Hall reportedly boarded a plane at Entebbe airport en-route to Nairobi, but never arrived at her destination. Then Theresa Nanziri, the warden of Africa Hall and a senior member of staff at Makerere, who went missing only for her body later to be found floating in River Sezibwa. That was during the regime of president Idi Amin (1971-79).

Similarly, the books War in Uganda by Tony Avirgan and Martha Honey and Guardian Angel, Volume Two: The Moshi Conspiracy by Dr Arnold Bisase, capture that turbulent history after Amin.
When Prof Yusuf Kironde Lule (April 13 to June 20, 1979) and later Godfrey Lukongwa Binaisa (June 20, 1979 to May 12, 1979) replaced him, these strange murders continued unabated. The famous cases registered were the gruesome murders of Dr Jack Ssebirumbi Barlow, Dr Stephen Aubden Obace and Dr Mitchell Bagenda.

One thing that period had in common with the ruling NRM is that the role of the military and security agencies in the governance of the country was quite significant and not easy to ignore. It was held then and now that the ‘government’ as we perceive the entire lot of those in charge of the State at any one time, was so powerful and invincible. They also did their best to drive this point home.

Recall in the time of Amin, it was common to hear it said on news bulletins that the Field Marshall had warned that anyone found dealing with Zionists and Imperialists in a bid to destabilise his government would be taught a lesson he will never forget. Then it was comically re-emphasised by the anchor ‘I repeat, he will regret!’ In the NRM era, those with intentions of sabotage have often been reminded that they risk being put ‘six feet below.’

Yet in both regimes when people lost their lives, it was left to speculation as to who was responsible because the perpetrators were never brought to book. In fact, many people easily concluded that it was the government in power that was guilty of the same.

When you hold this view, you miss a great point that would be helpful in understanding unexplained murders, kidnaps and disappearances. Because the government barks and paints the whole country green with gun totting soldiers, two things happen: First, people tend to falsely think that it knows everything and is totally in charge of the situation. Interestingly, the soldiers all over the place and the announcements of threatening bravado may actually be a sign of weakness.

Remember Wole Soyinka said a tiger does not announce its tigritude, it pounces. The chest-thumping followed by the relatively easy downfall of Amin’s regime vindicates that.
Many times when a government in power terrorises the people so much and crashes all known opposition through rigging elections, violence, and bribery, it becomes difficult to honestly know its opposition and weaknesses. Two things happen; first some resign and wait and pray for that one day when the government will collapse.

Others resort to stealthily undermining the government. Elements within the government structure like weevils in beans, use their privilege as cover to hire out guns, kidnap for ransom, imprison or kill people and wipe out all clues for personal gain and to put the government to shame and blame.
Others go underground, become a nuisance and engage in the weak man’s option - initiating a reign of killing and kidnapping, which is all blamed on the government.
Researchers like Fred Guweddeko and Timothy Kalyegira have argued, some of prominent murders during the time of Amin right up to 1986, including those in the bushes of Luweero were by people opposed to the government bent on making it look wicked as a killer of its own people.

During the Amin era, history has it that the exiles in Tanzania and Kenya would write letters to innocent prominent people in Kampala falsely ‘thanking’ them for attending ‘planning meetings’ to overthrow Amin and for their ‘contribution’ towards the struggle, knowing fully well that Amin’s intelligence officers would read all the mail that came through the postal system. The addresses ended up in exile or dead.

With the increase in unexplained murders and now brazen kidnaps by people who do not seem to care about being caught by security agencies, it is important that the insurmountable NRM reviews our history.

Mr Sengoba is a commentator on political and socials issues. [email protected]
Twitter:@nsengoba