The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
The shooting took place in front of a residential house, which is next to another building with some kiosks that is next to a stage of motorcyclists also referred to as a boda boda stage. The location is some 600 metres away from Kaweesi’s home, which also happens to be about 300 metres from a local police post.
As news of Kaweesi’s killing spreads, swarms of police swoop on the area. They seal of houses and nobody is allowed out. Police detectives comb area shops, supermarkets and hotels. They ask attendants about any CCTV cameras.
At Satellite Hotel, a few metres from the main shopping area; Kisaasi trading centre, several officers moving on two Landcruiser pickup trucks enter the hotel. Kaweesi is said to have frequented this hotel and anyone aimed to assassinate him possibly did surveillance here. A large shop across the road is also checked.
Kaweesi’s boss, Inspector General of Police, Gen.Kale Kayihura arrived at the scene at about 11am and held several meetings. Sources say Kayihura during one of these meetings Kayihura received a call from President Museveni, who wanted details. Sources say Museveni also gave Kayihura directions on how investigations should be conducted. The Independent could not confirm details of the call.
It is said that initially, Kayihura had put together a team comprising officers from Kampala Metropolitan Police (KMP), Counter Terrorism, Special Investigations Unit (SIU) and the Criminal Intelligence and Investigations Department (CIID).
However, following the inter-agency conferencing, a meeting to set up an investigating committee from other agencies, officers from the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) and Internal Security Organisation (ISO), were also brought on board.
The new team now includes; CIID boss, Grace Akullo, Counter Terrorism boss, John Ndungutse, SIU’s Francis Olugo, new CMI chief, Col. Abel Kandiho, among others.
In total, the team has over 20 experienced investigators from different agencies and is headed by Akullo. He said they had brought on board people with military experience the killers have military skills. Kayihura said this team is expected to give him a report, which he will forward to President Museveni.
By the time the police chief arrived at the scene, the Forensics and scene of crime experts’ team had already arrived and surrounded the scene with scene of crime tape. The bodies of the three were examined and taken two Mulago in three ambulances.
Kayihura immediately said the assailants aim was to hurt police.
“They (attackers) have been saying that they will hit us where it hurts most,” he told journalists at the scene.
Security Minister, Lt. Gen. Henry Tumukunde, also arrived hours later. Tumukunde who built a reputation when he smashed rings of terrorists throwing bombs around the city in the early 2000s said by looking at similar killings, the pattern is clear; the killers use motorbikes, appear very professional in the execution of their mission, and are confident enough to remain at the scene to ascertain that the target has been eliminated.
Tumukunde was referring to killing of several prominent personalities in a fashion similar to Kaweesi.
In the last case before Kaweesi, an army officer, who had converted from a rebel into a high profile prosecutor working on terrorism cases, was killed at almost the same time of the day as Kaweesi and in almost identical fashion. Before that several Muslim clerics were assassinated.
Kaweesi’s case, however, appears to open up the range of possible targets. According to one version of interpretation, the police is now a target because of its very overt political stance.
Under Kayihura, observers say, the police has become an appendage of Museveni’s government. It is far from a neutral law and order institution and its top officers are agents of the government.
According to this version, some officers attract attention because of the way they personalise their conduct of force affairs. The result is that the force has some “celebrity cops”, some of them untouchable and capable of acting with impunity.
The main concern, however, is that as the range of possible targets widens; from Muslim clerics, to judicial officers, army officers, police officers, and almost anyone else, one question stands out: Who is next?
****
editor@independent.co.ug
Can a man rob God? Two Ugandan motorcyclists just did. Allegedly. Kaweesi’s SUV was on the 17 March, 2017 “showered” (read: riddled) with 124 rounds of live ammunition. In the process his bodyguard took 36 on job and the driver as well. All the three were pronounced dead on the spot. This gruesome murder has left many wondering- why? In asking why, this suspicious mind is also alluding to the “unsaid”, that Kaweesi could have taken the bullet for someone else. That in the manner of his death, there was an intention to instruct. I want to explore on “who” could have instructed and “why” Kaweesi. What do we pick from the scene of crime? The assassins had the audacity to attack the 3rd most ranking officer of the Ugandan police during broad day. This choice of attack was not cowardly. They were in full confidence of their capabilities and so were they aware of Kaweesi’s vulnerabilities. But if this were so, why couldn’t they attack his home at night? Could be that they never wanted to be mistaken for robbers. Their choice of attack was very deliberate that carried no “noise” for the intended recipient. What do we pick from the words of the President? At the vigil of Kaweesi, the President made two statements that are very instructive: “The police has been infiltrated by criminals.” “Kayihura do your job.” From an ordinary point of view (literally), the meaning is that, bad elements were taking advantage of the laxity within the police. But the President is not an ordinary person. He’s the Commander In Chief (CIC) of the armed forces. He’s the Chief Consumer Of Intelligence (CCOI). So, let us take the President’s statements more seriously. By stating that the police was infiltrated, was the President inferring that Kaweesi’s death was an internal handiwork of the police? Or, was the President confirming Kaweesi’s death as a result of the “bad infiltration?” That Kaweesi was part of the “bad police?” That by the President instructing Kayihura to do his job, he was redirecting him “away” from the bad police?
Interestingly, no one is linking Kaweesi’s murder to the previous murders of the Muslim clergies, Prosecutor Kagezi and Major Kiggundu even when the mode is similar? No one is linking Kaweesi’s murder to the ADF or the Kasese killings even when Kaweesi had commented on live television that the Kasese killings were “legal” two days before his murder? No one is linking Kaweesi’s murder to “Muhoozi project” even when Kaweesi was a possible political threat to the “project’s” intentions? I am a consumer of movies (good fiction). In the Kaweesi murder, I sadly see a good movie- The Hunger games. I see a dystopian society(Uganda) that is undesirable and frightening. That we should draw from real lessons regarding our, politics, economics, psychology and ethics. The reason as to why I relate Kaweesi’s murder to ‘The Hunger Games’, is the way his death presents a sense that “someone is seated outside there before a “BIG SCREEN” and he’s WATCHING.” That if the “play” is not going according to the “script” the “GAMEMAKER” can change the play midway. But if this killer is the very killer who “neutralised” the Muslim clergies, Kagezi and Maj. Kiggundu, then he’s cunning as he’s ruthless. As to whether the order by the President to set up cctv cameras will subdue his activities or Kayihura’s order for police to wear bullet proof vests will stop him in his trucks, that’s for us to ponder about. This killer finds you when you least expect him. Maybe we have to look for divine intervention?
In the Quranic teachings, there lived an atheist ruler. He was once visited by a “Believer” who he wanted to impress upon his powers. So he asked the “Believer”, who is this God you so much praise of? The believer answered, “He who gives and taketh away life.” The King had to bring in two men and upon his orders, one of them was killed and the other let free. But the Believer was not yet done, he said to the king, “He who rises the sun in the East and sets it in the West” This seemed to be an insurmountable proposition to the king who then, challenged the Believer to bring his “so called” God to him so that they could “sort” themselves out! God couldn’t come in person but sent him one of His armies- the mosquito. The fierce king died from a mosquito bite. Can a man rob God?