Reflections on downfall of a military dictator
What you need to know:
- For millions of Ugandans, here and in the diaspora, it marked the end of what many thought, albeit mistakenly, was the end of a dark era in the post-colonial history of Uganda. There was enormous goodwill for Uganda from the international community in 1979 and 1980, but it was squandered by the Uganda National Liberation Front (UNLF) regime.
Today marks the 42nd anniversary of the downfall of a military dictator amid jubilation and great expectations in Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. The downfall of Gen Idi Amin on April 11, 1979, was welcomed throughout the world.
For millions of Ugandans, here and in the diaspora, it marked the end of what many thought, albeit mistakenly, was the end of a dark era in the post-colonial history of Uganda. There was enormous goodwill for Uganda from the international community in 1979 and 1980, but it was squandered by the Uganda National Liberation Front (UNLF) regime.
The hallmarks of the Amin regime include breakdown of law and order, abolition of Parliament, declaration of life presidency, rampant abductions and disappearances of Ugandans, torture and killings, lawlessness, violence and impunity.
But unlike now, endemic and systemic corruption on a massive scale was unheard of during the Amin regime. According to reliable sources, one of Amin’s ambitions and pet projects was to transform Uganda, with then Libyan president Muammar Gaddafi’s support, into an Islamic Republic.
The tragedy of abductions, disappearances and killings of Ugandans prompted Sabalwanyi to issue a stern warning to security officers at a meeting held in Kampala in 1989. Below are excerpts of what he said.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I have called you here for two reasons. Reason number one is to tell all of you who are here, DA (district administrator), police officers and especially internal security officers, that it is your job to guarantee the security of all persons and of all properties in Uganda. That is your job.
“It will not do for you to be a DA in a district and people are murdered and you don’t arrest the murderers. It will not do for you to be a District Police Commander and people are being killed in your district and you don’t know who has killed them. This will simply not do, it will not work. I will not accept it. I will not preside over a country where a Ugandan is killed and the authorities do not know who has killed him.”
What Sabalwanyi condemned publicly in 1989 is happening regularly now, under his watch, especially in Kampala and Wakiso districts.
Sabalwanyi appears helpless or unable or unwilling to stop and end the spate of abductions, disappearances, torture and killings of hundreds of Ugandans by security operatives driving numberless vehicles dubbed “drones” by wananchi.
Four decades since the downfall of the Amin regime, it looks increasingly like history is repeating itself, which is a tragedy of monumental proportions for Uganda. Aminism is alive and appears to be the de facto ideology of some Ugandan politicians.
For thousands of Ugandans who suffered under the Amin regime, it’s a sad and painful story to tell bazukulu that what is happening today is similar to what happened in the 1970s. We thought Uganda would never descend into absurdity, mediocrity, moral decadence and become a laughingstock once again! Well, looks like we were wrong.
I believe Uganda’s patriots and people of goodwill everywhere must speak up and condemn gross violations of human rights and crimes against humanity committed routinely by agents of the NRM regime against innocent, peaceful and law-abiding Ugandans.
As fellow political scientist, Dr Moses Khisa, argued in Saturday Monitor of March 27, “Uganda has for long been at critical crossroads and the idea that a conscious citizen can sit on the fence and equivocate on what is happening is sheer abdication of the moral duty we owe to society.”
Uganda deserves a lot better than a corrupt, decadent, dishonest, incompetent and shameless regime imposed upon wananchi for over three decades by force, deception and bribery. Remember the secret of liberty is courage.
Mr Acemah is a political scientist and retired career diplomat.
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