Obama Denies Visas To M7 Spies
http://redpepper.co.ug/welcome/?p=37104By Stanley Ndawula
President Museveni is investigating reports that America has
red-listed thousands of cops and Special Forces Group (SFG) agents, denying
them access to the US-sponsored security strategic courses, Red Pepper
exclusively reports.
The President’s attention was drawn by the briefs
from the country’s security chiefs who indicated to him that for some time now,
having a police officer benefit from any American sponsored courses around the
globe is as hard as in the biblical analogy of tycoons’ ability to access
heavenly gates.
“It is a steadily growing concern. We don’t know
what criteria they [American Embassy] uses to deny us access. They talk of
disrespect to human rights as one of the reasons but we have officers who have
never been cited in any anti-human rights criticism and they are all
red-listed. The President is fully aware and investigating,” a highly placed
security source intimated to us last night.
Just recently, very little known cops, like the
Masindi Police Training School (PTS) deputy commandant ASP Hadijjah Namutebi,
were blocked from travelling for a strategic management course. The officers,
sources said, have their names nowhere near questionable characters and their
blockage is still a conundrum to the police authorities.
Early last year, senior cops Grace Turyagumanawe,
Laban Ahabwe, Grace Akullo, Moses Kafeero, Joel Aguma and others had their
flight to International Law Enforcement Academy in Botswana, cancelled at the eleventh
hour. Even when their tickets and other necessities had been fully covered, no
reasons were given for the embassy’s abrupt change of mind.
At the time, Turyagumanawe was Kampala
Metropolitan Police (KMP) boss, Ahabwe at the helm of Very Important Persons’ Protection
Unit (VIPPU), Akullo (now Police’s Chief Investigator) as head of Special
Investigations Unit (SIU), Kafeero was Commandant South Kampala Metropolitan
Police and Joel Aguma was the commandant of the defunct Rapid Response Unit
(RRU).
Given their positions that tasked them to work
amidst Kampala’s
‘unruly’ society, the police bosses were the most suitable candidates for any
international law enforcement course. This would help them apply international
professionalism in handling the day to day city rots.
“They (Americans) are simply bent on
humiliating the police. They want us to feel suppressed… they have no criteria
apart from having our names vetted by either their favoured politicians and or
political groups. And those (opposition politicians/parties) are obviously
against police and government, accusing us of suppressing their selfish
campaigns which America
term as ‘freedom of assembly,’” lamented a visibly irritated senior security
source.
Cornered with the subject, the police deputy
mouthpiece Judith Nabakooba confirmed that some officers have had their study
trips cancelled.
“But honestly, I haven’t followed on what could
have been the reasons. Kindly give me more time and I crosscheck. But I am
afraid I can’t do so now because I am for a course in Entebbe,” she said.
However, our sources confirmed the “problem”
extends to UPDF in Special Forces Group (SFG), the elite force tasked with the
President’s security.
“They have a list of thousands of us (SFG) and
police officers. We believe their ‘work’ is simply to stop us from their
courses. We don’t know who they work for but Mzee (President) is investigating.
Meanwhile, we are looking in other direction like China and elsewhere for similar
benefits (courses),” an SFG source offered.
HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE
Though no specific reasons are given, alleged
human rights abuse is always mildly cited. In a press statement released
recently, the public affairs chief at the US embassy, Dan Travis condemned
the Ingrid Turinawe’s arrest through which a cop pulled her boob. And as the
Embassy, Travis called for conclusive investigations into the matter.
“We condemn any excessive use of force by police
or protestors. We urge the Ugandan government to respect citizens’ right to
assemble freely and encourage Uganda
to investigate allegations of excessive use of force by security services and
to hold perpetrators accountable,” wrote Travis. Ingrid was close to a month
ago arrested while proceeding to Nansana for a pressure group named ‘For God
and my Country’ (4GC) launch.
During the arrest, a policewoman, who Police has
since identified as PC Irene Arinda, grabbed Turinawe’s boob in a bid to secure
the arrest of the iron opposition lady who had resisted the same and stubbornly
parked in the middle of the road. The footage of the arrest was privately
recorded and later leaked to a local TV station which exclusively ran.
The regrettable incident has since grabbed
public and police critics’ attention. And the American Embassy is known to have
mounted pressure on government to respond to the same.
Indeed, President Museveni last week summoned NTV
crew at his country home of Rwakitura, for an exclusive in which, he
extensively discussed the matter. The recorded excerpts were run Thursday night
on NTV’s popular show On The Spot.
Museveni said police are handling Ingrid’s
incident internally and necessary disciplinary action will taken against the
offending officer if it is established that she was in the wrong.
However, the President cautioned politicians
against provoking the police to manhandle them, saying Ingrid had parked her
car in the middle of the road, blocking traffic flow, hence provoking police
action.
In the same breadth, the Inspector General of
Police (IGP) Lt. Gen. Kale Kayihura was due to address a press conference
Friday, to issue an official police statement on the infamous Ingrid arrest.
This was the first time police was coming out with a statement on the
contentious matter. The efforts by Museveni and Kayihura are seen to be a
response to America’s
pressure over the matter. It is however, not clear whether the US
will loosen their grip on the cops’ visas.
Police apologise over Ingrid arrest
By ANDREWBAGALA
Posted Sunday, May 13 2012 at 00:00
Posted Sunday, May 13 2012 at 00:00
While releasing an investigation report into the April, 20, arrest of Ms Turinawe, at Nansana, a Kampala suburb, the police chief, Lt. Gen. Kale Kayihura, described the incident as improper and unprofessional.
“…on behalf of the Uganda Police, as well as on my own behalf, I regret, and apologise for, the action of one of my police officers, Woman Police Constable (W/PC) Irene Alinda, for improperly and unprofessionally handling Ingrid Turinawe,” Gen. Kayihura said Friday.
On whether she accepts the apology, she said “if (Gen) Kayihura continues to say that the person was a woman, I will not accept it.
abagala@ug.nationmedia.com
Buganda Riots: Jubilations and tears of joy as court frees
suspects
By Ephraim Kasozi & Juliet Kigongo
Posted Monday, May 14 2012 at 12:31
Posted Monday, May 14 2012 at 12:31
In Summary
It was alleged that on September 10, 2009, at Nateete, Kampala District,
the group for purposes of influencing government or intimidating the public, or
a section of it, for political, social or economic aim, indiscriminately and
without due regard to the safety of others or property, attacked or set fire on
buildings housing Nateete Police Station and other property including motor
vehicles, motor cycles.
There were shouts of joy at the High Court in Kampala after a case in which eleven people charged with terrorism in connection with September 2009 Buganda riots was dismissed.
Justice Ralph Ochan discharged the group, part of an initial 25 people who had been committed to trial over terrorism, saying that they did not have a case to answer.
“We are disappointed by the prosecution and police because they ignored the basic requirements in investigations and fundamental human rights of the accused persons,” said Justice Ochan before a fully packed courtroom.
A total of eleven witnesses, all police officers, testified against the eleven, giving contradictory statements, while others accused their seniors of giving false evidence to court.
Violence broke out in Buganda in September 2009 after government stopped the Kabaka from attending a youth ceremony in Kayunga district where the local community, the Banyala, wanted to break away from Buganda. Security agencies feared that the Kabaka’s attendance would spark violence, and stopped him from attending the ceremonies.
The ensuing riots left at least 30 people dead and 50 injured.
Most of the suspects were accused of torching Nateete police
station in the wake of the riots.
editorial@ug.nationmedia.com
editorial@ug.nationmedia.com
