Museveni was absolutely right when he stated in 1993 that “The army [security forces] should be just for guarding the borders [defending the state] and maintaining internal peace [law and order]… That is all… They should guard what the people want, not do what the people don’t want. I do not agree with military governments… I do not think the army has a role in government… The people are the sovereign force”(Africa Report July/August 1993).
Nobody can disagree with this statement. The problem is that Museveni practices what he does not preach. He does the opposite of what he says most of the time! And he has been doing this for the last twenty five years. The people of Uganda are now fed up because he has consistently and deliberately done what the people do not want – using security forces to violate their civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.
To avoid losing the 2011 presidential election, Museveni disenfranchised Ugandans, bribed many and worst of all bused in foreigners to re-elect him. How else do you explain over 2 million registered voters in his home district of Ntungamo or over 1 million in Kawempe area in Kampala city, remembering that the total population of Kampala city is around 2 million! He applied military power to be re-elected. The people of Uganda have declared the results illegitimate so have the international observers who reported inter alia that the election process lacked a level playing field, there were serious irregularities including excessive use of the military and using state funds.
The solution is fresh elections based on truly free and fair principles to be organized by a coalition transitional government of all stake holders.
Until a legally constituted government is in place transactions with other states, multilateral institutions and corporations such as contracts should be suspended.
Since 1966, Ugandans have lived under military dictatorship which has been perfected under Museveni’s rule. Paradoxically, Museveni justified his bloody guerrilla war to end military dictatorship. He presented himself as a liberator who would quickly restore peace and prosperity and then retire from national politics and focus on Pan-African issues. That was in 1986. (Museveni has already declared he will contest the 2016 presidential elections). Since 1986 Museveni has behaved more like a conqueror than a liberator.
Museveni was brought to and sustained in power by security forces – not the people of Uganda (that is why he has rigged elections since 1996). Ipso facto, it is the security forces – with full support of the people – that will take him out by not allowing him to form an illegitimate government based on sham and rejected 2011 elections.
The first demonstration against the rigged elections took place in Uganda’s capital city on March 8, 2011. That it took place at all is success in itself because the authorities had vowed to prevent it.
Uganda’s security forces need to understand their mission. They took oath to defend the state and protect the citizens of Uganda so that they enjoy in full peace and prosperity – their inalienable political, civil, economic, social and cultural rights.
When there is a conflict between people and the government, Uganda’s security forces of professional men and women must be on the side of the people – always!
Let us look at a few illustrative cases where security forces joined the people when a conflict between them and the government developed.
1. In 1977 and 1978 there were demonstrations in Iran against the government which turned into political violence. Government’s attempts to control the situation by suppressing demonstrators proved ineffective. Unrest continued. Martial law was declared and a military government formed headed by the army Chief of Staff. Censorship was also imposed. These measures made the situation worse as industrial workers and public servants joined the youth in demonstrations. When violence intensified, the army withdrew support from the government and stood with the people. The army understood its mission – to protect the people when there is a conflict between them and the government. The government collapsed.
2. The years 1973 and 1974 marked a dark period in imperial Ethiopia. Faced with severe poverty and high unemployment, vulnerable peasants and urban poor could not take it any more when the country was hit by severe drought and food shortages. There were demonstrations everywhere against the regime. Security forces tried to control the situation to no avail. Ultimately, the army and police joined the people. They interpreted their mission correctly – to protect the people, not the government when a conflict develops between the two sides. The imperial government collapsed in 1974.
3. The eviction of a popular dissident priest from his residence in Romania resulted in a protest initially of about 45 elderly parishioners. The protest turned into huge demonstrations in towns and cities. They were violently suppressed by security forces. Security violence triggered huge demonstrations which were subsequently joined by the security forces forcing the government to collapse.
4. In January and February 2011, security forces in Tunisia and Egypt joined the people as the latter demonstrated against corrupt and dictatorial governments. The regimes of Ben Ali and Hosni Mubarak collapsed.
There are situations where the people formed armies in order to defend themselves against their governments.
1. When Louis XVI realized that he had lost too much power to the National Assembly which was meeting to draft a new constitution to make him a constitutional monarch, he began to mass Swiss and German mercenaries. In response Parisians formed a people’s army – National Guard – to defend themselves. Marquis de Lafayette, a hero of the American Revolution became commander of the National Guard. The people’s army prevailed.
2. The struggle between Charles I and his British subjects (parliament) over religious, economic and political matters led to a civil war. The parliamentary opponents of the king created a people’s army under the leadership of Oliver Cromwell to defend themselves against the king’s army. The people’s army defeated the king’s army at Marston Moore in July 1644 and then at Naseby in June 1645. The people’s army prevailed.
The message being conveyed is that security forces exist to defend the state and protect citizens, not the head of state and government. When a conflict develops between the president and the people, security forces defend the people.
When security forces side with the head of state or president, the people have a right to arm and defend themselves as happened in England in the 1640s and in France in 1789.
To avoid forming people’s army in Uganda, we appeal to Uganda’s security forces to act professionally by defending the state and protecting the citizens, not the president and government. You took oath to do just that. This is a noble responsibility you have.
Should you fail to honor it and committee crimes against humanity, crime of genocide, war crimes and crimes of aggression or fail as commander to control your troops and they committee any of these crimes, you will be individually responsible and liable for punishment by the International Criminal Court as stated clearly in Article 25 and Article 28 of the Rome Statute.
The Statute applies equally to all persons without any distinction based on official capacity. Thus a Head of State or Government or parliament, an elected representative or a Government official is not exempt from criminal responsibility under the Statute.