The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | AFP | President Yoweri Museveni on Saturday began a six-day march through the jungle to re-trace the route through which his guerrilla forces seized power three decades ago, which critics dismissed as a bid to rally support ahead of 2021 elections.
Museveni is one of Africa’s longest-ruling leaders, having seized power in 1986 after taking part in rebellions to end the brutal rule of Idi Amin and Milton Obote, and is expected to seek a sixth term in office in the next elections.
He began what will be a 195-kilometre walk from Galamba, north of Kampala, and will end on January 10 in Birembo south of the capital where his rebel army faced one of its toughest battles in the fight to overthrow Obote.
“The great trek started today and will last six days. This is a journey that the president is leading, a journey through the past to appreciate the present,” Museveni’s senior press secretary, Don Wanyama, told AFP Saturday.
“The journey will take a week through the jungle, a route the liberators led by Museveni took to liberate the country.”
The walk comes a month after the president led an anti-corruption walk through the capital in a move derided by critics who said that the corruption took place under his government.
Museveni is facing an election challenge from pop-star turned leading opposition politician Bobi Wine, who appeals to a youthful population that has only ever known one president.
“This (trek) is part of the wasteful ventures government is taking aimed at boosting his (Museveni) dwindling support among Ugandans,” the singer — whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi — told AFP.
“My advice is rather than spending taxpayers’ money on such trips, Museveni should know time is up for him to leave power. Time for hoodwinking peasants has passed him. The peasants and everyone in Uganda are demanding change and no less,” he said.
Asuman Basalirwa, an MP from the opposition Forum for Democratic Change, slammed the trek as a “campaigning tool”.
“Ugandans deserve better than a president walking through a jungle. Time spent should be used for other important issues affecting the country especially how he plans to hand over power,” he said.
To say that Mr. Museveni seized power in 1986 through rebellions in order to end the brutal rule of Idi Amin and Milton Obote, is now laughable. This is because by his own self-description, of being the Master of Violence, the 34 years of Mr. M7 has turned out to be more inhuman brutal and with more victims than his predecessors he accused of being brutal.
For example who did not see the UPDF street brutality on the 1999 Kayunga protestors and the two day Riot that followed?
Who did not see or hear about the Mukura Railway Station freight container inferno (genocide of 79 victims suffocated and wagon set ablaze?
Who did not see or hear about the November 2016 massacre inside the palace of the Bakonzo King Mumbere? It is still fresh in the minds and souls of many Ugandans that King Mumbere was jacked up with his pants and taken to the police station and charged with terrorism murder, treason and other silly criminal charges.
In 2018, who did not see or hear about the coldness and brutality with which Hon Kyagulanyi’s driver Yashin Kawuma was shot through the ears and to date, no questions asked who fire the bullets that ended the poor guy’s life? On the same day and night, who did not see and hear how Hon Francis Zaake was brutalized and dropped for dead in front of Rubaga Hospital’s gate?
Who did not hear about how Hon Kyagulanyi was equally brutalized and desperately resuscitated for fear that his death would have been the spark that would set the country ablaze.
About the same period, who did not see a Reuters’ photo journalist, Jimmy Akena being brutalized by the UPDF soldiers at noon, and the authority said that it was a Ki-Nigeria Photoshop stunt, intended to embarrass a disciplined army?
Who did not see or hear how many times Dr. Besigye was brutalized in broad-day-light and shoved under the rusty and filthy seats of the Uganda police pick up truck?
Ugandans must be pitied!
To reminiscent through a 195-kilometre walk, in order to trace his abomination path of waging a civil war that caused the untimely deaths of hundreds of thousands of: countrymen, women and children; is the climax of Mr. Museveni’s vanity (vanity walk) and self-importance.