The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The former Mukono North Member of Parliament, Rev. Peter Bakaluba Mukasa has put to task the government to have the State Minister for Water, Ronald Kibuule investigated and prosecuted for using the Special Forces Command (SFC) officers to tarnish the image of the SFC as an institution, Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) and the government.
Bakaluba says it is so unfortunate for a person of Kibuule’s position at a status of a minister for over ten years to reach an extent of directing his personal SFC guards to storm the Mukono district Electoral Commission (EC) tally center and put the registrar Mark Muganzi Mayanja on gun point, forcing him to declare false poll results in his favor.
In the concluded Thursday parliamentary elections, Kibuule, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer for Mukono North constituency competed with National Unity Platform’s (NUP) Abdallah Kiwanuka Mulimamayuuni.
During and after the election process, Mulimamayuuni’s camp wrestled with Kibuule’s supporters and the security operatives whom they were accusing of taking part in different election malpractices.
At around 9:30 pm on Friday, the alleged armed SFC officers took over the Mukono EC tally center and forced themselves inside, an act which put everyone at the premises on tension.
They called Muganzi, the registrar to his office where they allegedly put him on gun point, coercing him to announce the false results that were putting Kibuule in the lead.
The Mukono Division Police Commander, Abubaker Musiho however intervened ordering his team of policemen to arrest and disarm these SFC officers. The arrest and disarming process however did not go on smoothly as the SFC officers first disobeyed the police orders. After reinforcement by the region field police officers from Kampala, the arrest and disarming process was finally conducted successfully.
Bakaluba says this act set a very bad precedent, hence asking for a thorough investigation and prosecution of all the culprits, Minister Kibuule inclusive.
In a phone interview, the UPDF deputy spokesperson Lt. Col. Deo Akiiki says the institution had already arrested the officers that involved themselves in messing up the EC’s work and also withdrawn those who were guarding Kibuule’s home.
According to Akiiki, these officers will have to face the army court martial and answer the charges that will be preferred against them.
Mulimamayuuni, the Mukono North MP elect says very many NUP supporters were abducted, tortured and some are still missing. He therefore wants the government to task Kibuule and his bodyguards who were spotted involving in those illegal acts to present those people either dead or alive.
Bakaluba is one of the contestants for Mukono district chairmanship on the NUP ticket. He says they have fear that these same unlawful acts by the army officers against the local people on orders of NRM candidates may resurface in local government elections.
He asked the SFC and UPDF commanders to give the country assurance of a free and fair election which will not be interfered with by the security officers as happened last week in Mukono.
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A one youthful Kanatta, a resident of Walusubi in Mukono has been missing for a number of weeks and untill now he is no where to be seen.
He was reportedly taken on orders of min. Kibuule and relatives believe he might have been killed.
People of Wakiso and Katoogo villages have solid evidences of such actions and this is the main reason he was severely beaten in the polls and he knows that too.