By Mulengera Reporters
Afande Chris Magyezi, a blue-eyed boy of the First Son & CDF Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, released via his X handle contents of what was supposed to be a purely private conversation between Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and journalist-turned lawyer Ivan Okuda.
Okuda had called to register his disappointment with how Dr. Kizza Besigye had been treated so far, even in sickness, especially after the precedent-setting ruling by the Supreme Court on the jurisdiction of the Court Martial to try civilians, and to an extent soldiers beyond mere disciplinary breaches.
Listening more than talking as he always does when he receives a phone call from a jouranalist, Erias Lukwago respectfully spoke less and listened more to what Okuda, who is supposed to have been an investigative journalist, was saying to him.
It generally would have passed off as a casual interaction except for basically two things. One, Okuda (who ordinarily is expected to be neutral) is heard advising Lukwago, whose gloves have long been off on such social justice issues and moreso the alleged persecution of Besigye, who has been his client since the year 2000, on what to emphasize and who to target in his media criticisms.
That its chiefly President Museveni and his son Gen MK that ought to be targeted and criticised for perceived nervousness of courts and AG’s chambers over what ought to be done to give effect to the Supreme Court ruling. Critics could have Okuda for dinner because, to many of them, an objective journalist shouldn’t be expected to go so partisan against any protagonist to a sensitive conflict like the Besigye has turned out to be. Okuda implies that its the duo of Museveni and MK that is responsible for whatever has gone wrong in the management of the KB saga.
The other even bigger concern is the extent to which the leaked phone call contents expose the long-serving Commissioner General of Prisons Dr. Johnson Byabashaija (who by the way hails from Rukungiri like Dr. KB) as a trecherous and disloyal cadre of the government and to the authority at whose pleasure he holds that lucrative position. He has actually held the position for an eternity.
Okuda is heard sharing with an appropriately guarded Erias Lukwago contents of what was supposed to be a private conversation between him and Byabashaija. That the CGP had indicated to him how his hands regarding KB’s freedom had continued to be tied by both Museveni and his son Gen MK.
That the CGP had intimated to Okuda in what was supposed to be a private meeting that Gen MK had rang him, immediately after the Supreme Court ruling, making it clear that KB’s release was unacceptable and something he shouldn’t even ponder as the Prisons chief. That shortly after Gen Museveni himself rang to emphasize the same thing. That the veteran leader from Rwakitura asked the CGP to be on standby and wait for the AG’s guidance after him and the President have discussed and harmonised on some way forward.
Assuming all this is true and it’s what the CGP confided in Okuda, Dr. Byabashaija must by now be a dead man walking in as far as keeping his job is concerned. It’s unlikely that Gen Museveni and his son will be in position to tolerate someone that “treacherous” to continue in such a very sensitive position for much long. He could be headed to being dust-binned and thrown under the bus like Gen Kale Kayihura, Dorothy Kisaka and Doris Akol who the H.E forced out of their respective lucrative positions at Uganda Police, KCCA and URA when their employment contracts were still running.
The leaked phone call, which has since caused a lot of people to become inquisitive on how it ended up in the hands of Afande Magezi who subsequently made it public, will also have a cowing effect, with majority Kampalans becoming less willing to chat about sensitive things during phone calls or to even confide in people they took to be their friends at all.
For Dr. Byabashaija, the leaked phone call contents will no doubt complicate several of his operational and work-related relationships in the broader security framework of the country. He will be seen as a less enthusiastic participant in the squeezing of Gen Museveni’s enemies or at least some of them. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
