By Aggrey Baba
Hon. Betty Nambooze, the Mukono Municipality Member of Parliament (MP), has called on all Banyankole people to publicly denounce Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, following his recent social media posts that many have condemned as mocking and tribalistic.
Muhoozi, who is the Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) and first son posted a photo of Eddie Mutwe(Edward Sebuwufu), bodyguard to opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine), appearing weak and injured.
Alongside the image, he wrote that Mutwe, a Muganda was “learning Runyankore,” a language spoken mainly in Uganda’s western region, where the Banyankole people are from.
This post has been widely criticized for making light of torture and for introducing a tribal element into a serious human rights issue.
“If I were a Munyankole, I would not wait for some wise Baganda to preach that this is not a tribal war,” Nambooze stated. “As soon as the aggressor would reveal that kidnapped Eddie Mutwe is being tutored (tortured) in Runyankore, I would get out to denounce him for myself, my children, my tribe, and Uganda.”
She emphasized that remaining silent in the face of injustice is equivalent to siding with the oppressor, echoing the words of South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Gen. Muhoozi’s recent posts have not only targeted Sebuwufu but have also included other controversial statements. In one, he claimed that Mutwe was in his basement, and in another, he threatened further harm, stating that he would be released only on President Museveni’s orders.
These actions have sparked outrage among human rights groups and opposition leaders, who view them as evidence of state-led oppression and a failure in the rule of law.
The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), a government body responsible for investigating abuses and monitoring the government’s human rights record, issued a release order directing the authorities to release Mutwe on Friday.
The UHRC determined that Mutwe is being unlawfully detained and warned that continued detention would amount to contempt under Article 53(1)(d) of the Constitution of Uganda.
The Mukono Municipality MP’s call to action is seen as a direct appeal to the Banyankole community to reject any association with such acts and to stand against the misuse of tribal identity to justify or mask human rights abuses. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
