The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Museveni ready for Plan B
According to some analysts, however, Muhoozi’s return to that position must be viewed in the more tactical lens of Museveni moving to secure his grip on the military command structure ahead of the election.
With Muhoozi in firm command of SFC, Museveni appears to think it will be easier to sniff out and widespread post-election violence. Bobi Wine has already warned that there will be a people power uprising if the 2021 election is stolen from him. Museveni former perennial challenger, retired Col. Kizza Besigye, has warned that he is working on “Plan B”. It is not clear what that means but he says it involves “fighting”. Museveni appears to be deploying his forces in readiness for that.
The Land forces are the battle front fighting groups and are not designed to operate against political opposition on the streets in Uganda. That task is for Muhoozi’s force. Muhoozi is now in charge of any military operation in the capital Kampala. He guards all the critical government installations like Entebbe International Airport, the ports on all lakes and the oil fields and other infrastructure in western Uganda. Muhoozi’s force is designed to deal with “unique missions” that threaten Museveni’s hold on power or national security. Essentially, although Special Forces is a small force, it has been structured and positioned to take control of the main government facilities.
“It is now the heart of the UPDF,” said a source.
The SFC plays a critical role in situations like this because, according to UPDF structure, it is an elite force of very highly trained professionals. The Special Forces get specialised training in counterintelligence, artillery, and motorised infantry tactics.
According to people familiar with UPDF operations, the Uganda army has two main fighting groups called “services” of Land Forces and the Air Force which has been headed by Lokech. The Land Forces commanded by Lt. Gen. Elwelu is the main force. But the SFC, although small in number of officers and men, is equal to both the Land and Air forces. And it is a creature created by Muhoozi in the tradition of sons of military strongmen.
Khamis Gaddafi, the youngest son of the late former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, was the military commander in charge of the Khamis Brigade, a Special Forces brigade of the Libyan army. Former DRC President Joseph Kabila became the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo under his father, the late President Laurent-Désiré Kabila.
Kongulo Mobutu was a Captain in an officer in the Special Presidential Division (DSP) under his father; the late President Mobutu Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu Wa Za Banga. He was also a member of the Military Service for Action and Intelligence (SARM).
That Muhoozi was constructing an elite force within the UPDF first emerged in 1997 when he took carefully handpicked recruits, mainly from Makerere University, for military drills Kasenyi Landing site, near Entebbe.
Presidential candidate Norbert Mao, who was them an MP for Gulu Municipality raised the issue and said Muhoozi was recruiting army illegally since he was not a soldier himself. But President Museveni and then Defence Minister Amama Mbabazi said the recruits were not soldiers but recruits for Local Defence Units (LDUs).
Muhoozi, 46, officially joined the army after completing his political science degree at Nottingham University, UK as Officer Cadet. He soon attended the prestigious Royal Military College Sandhurst in the United Kingdom where he graduated in 2000 and was promoted to Second Lieutenant. A year later, he became Major heading the Presidential Guard Brigade (PGB) which had some of his recruits. In 2008, he became a Lieutenant Colonel commanding the Special Forces Group (SFG) within the UPDF after graduating from US’s Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth.
The SFC, a force of several thousand soldiers, metamorphosed from recruits of cadets recruited by Muhoozi himself into the Presidential Guard Brigade PGB and later Special Forces. The new Special Forces Group comprised two strands; the Special Forces One (VIP Protection) and Special Forces Two (Motorised Infantry).
According to sources familiar with UPDF operations, Muhoozi, has since been wielding more power than most of the senior officers. Together with a select group of officers, some of whom he recruited himself in 1997, are being groomed to eventually lead the army.
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“Bobi Wine has also become a regular guest on international news channels like CNN, Aljazeera, and BBC.”
The use of international news channels will not help Bobi Wine win power at home. Even his thick Luganda accent is being mocked and ridiculed. It is shameful and despicable to hear Bobi Wine’s accent. It’s better for him to speak in his mother tongue and get a translator. In fact, he’s shaming Uganda. Even Amin’s accent was better than Bobi Wine’s. He should first polish his English before appearing on those channels.
Miseducation of the nigros. The French, Chinese, Fins, Germans, etc.. speak English in their accents, are they mocked and ridiculed, do they even care ? A miseducated African thinks a British accent and good english is a proof for being intelligent, what a shame!
Spot on Charles, Victor and his ilk are a group with this inferior complex that speaking good English is all that matters, in fact this group has taken their complex to a whole new level by not allowing their children to speak their mother tongue, what a shame,
Even British accent is mocked in USA and Canada. The Australian accent is also mocked. The first thing Bobi Wine should have done was to earn a university degree so that he could have been taken seriously; then mostly lose that village accent. It is despicable for a graduate of MUSIRU DALA DALA (MDD) and a devil worshipper, Bobi Wine, to imagine that he can rule over a country like Uganda. From that day a lot of Ugandans would end their allegiance to their country and prefer to be called citizens of another country. It is unthinkable to have such a deluded dude as president.
i think u are either mad or stupid,how can you compare Amins accent to Bobi wines accent i can see you have a problem with your head
Shut up! Since you are a supporter of Bobi Wine you are no doubt too young and didn’t even see Amin. You are in no position to know what I am talking about.
Leave people alone. Opposers will never understand the Idea. But U speak True. BOBI wine is very very poor in Speach. HE WON’T HIS COUNTRY TO ANY place. Nooo He wont. It’s not in his lens.
Sometimes I do see idiocy in the people who undermine Bobi wine, not that somehow somewhere I may a supporter comparing him with the rest of opposition candidates he the top Challenger off the ruling part. If not why do you deploy massively police and army plus beating some voters denying them access to him.? If accent was the factor then M7 wouldn’t rule for even a year because he is the most African president with the worst English accent.
The other thing is that Bobi Wine is very ugly.
So, u think it is all about accent? Is the current president’s accent better than Bobi Wine’s? I believe u r aware that Jacob Zuma was RSA president notonly his poor accent, but also grammar was very bad. If you think accent is an issue, then it is up to you.
Whoever doubts Bobiwine shud wait 14th Jan. Uganda will be surprised including you “the accent” man.
The problem with untravelled, unexposed people is they think you gain a better standing in the world with Western accents and such polished English…absolutely not. What matters is being understood. Besides Kyagulanyi speaks excellent English. Travel a bit and discover for yourself!!
No matter as ajock bobi wine is serious needs to ahead Ugandan.
U need a supernatural lance b4 u speak but otherwise.. ally speak are carnality n partial… not just at all.
Once again, political pundits are misreading Museveni’s recent reshuffles. Certainly not about the elections, not even about the polling event BUT what happens well after the election. That a transition is eminent is certain, not because of the elections but because of a Museveni orchestrated action to transition from Museveni to NRM, because hitherto all transitions have been from Museveni to Museveni. Expect some equally powerful signals in the direction of NRM Secretariat and high command. The Presiddd Ed NRS current body language does not betray any fear of the we current electioneering process. If anything it seems to be going according to plan! And of course there is the divine question of life and death COVID or no COVID. Recent deployments suggest a farsighted capability strategy in the event of a power vacuum occasioned by God. In the meantime, the political vultures are positioning themselves! Sadly, it is the nature of the political game
Great article but hopefully Bobi Wine wins