By Hussein Kyanjo
It has become common practice in Uganda to view situations with a simplistic eye and almost forget about them with the characteristic explanation of a government official.
Unfortunately a section of Ugandans tends to behave indifferently to a situation that affects ‘others’. It started way back with the major entry into Uganda of the renewed Pentecostal movement. It initially targeted the Anglican Church which experienced an exodus of followers to the new faith but the affected Church treaded carefully and offered little chance for destruction by the State’s invisible hand. We saw powerful individuals in government including members of the first family, business community civil servants and the security forces flocking into the new churches. Members of this church were placed systematically into lucrative jobs in powerful organisations like State House, Bank of Uganda, URA, CAA, NWSC, UMEME, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and many others. A host of them were seconded to security egencies. In fact one can not be blamed to think that the Pentecostal Church is the defacto state religion.
Leaders in this church are so powerful with heavy official military escorts plus (road opening) lead cars. Indeed the State is very pleased with the clergy in this church as they clearly preach an open pro-government message. Many followers in there carry arms and are somehow above ordinary police action.
The second casualty was Islam. The State designed a tactic which ensured factionalism with one leader at Old Kampala another one at Kibuli and the third at Nakasero. With the advent of ADF and its subsequent defeat, government killed a large number of youths and scores just disappeared till today. Many were arrested and the remnants fled the country. This last group was followed up in exile and some were persuaded to return home under amnesty.
These youths negotiated for their imprisoned colleagues and this amnesty was extended to them also, although some few steadfast ones declined the offer. Under their undisclosed agreement, some of those released were absorbed into the army. The rest were conscripted into secret agencies purposely to spy on their fellow Muslims. Obviously they were not trained and they started their job by recruiting other unemployed youths.
When their sources of information got dry they resorted to providing fake intelligence implicating their own, especially the leaders with whom they would be in disagreement. That’s why it was and is easy for government to round up Muslims for any major crime in any part of the country. Of course there are those who government could not arrest for lack of evidence or reasonable cause. They temporarily seemed free. I suspect those in this category are the several Sheiks who have been assassinated because of the fake intelligence given to the State against them. The survivors have been taken back to prison.
Nearly all Muslim leaders have official armed guards just to spy on them. It was a long time Muslim tradition to meet at the mosque before or after prayers but today the faithfuls just go for specific prayer time and they disperse soon thereafter and government is so far comfortable with the situation in the Islamic religion.
It should be recalled that Mr. Museveni who is now a king of sorts offered to mediate the warring Muslim factions. He commissioned an inquiry into Muslim wrangles lead by Prof. Kabwegyere who compiled a report which has never been made public – it’s coming to 3 years now since it was submitted to him he is the only one who knows why.
The above scenario is the one the government wants to duplicate in both the Catholic and Anglican Churches. What happened at Namirembe Cathedral is suspect as it is presumed by many believers to be the hand work of the State aimed at compelling the church leaders to ask for government armed guards.
The comments of Archbishop Kizito Lwanga around the same time were as carefully calculated as they were timely – and they were a sharp pin which deflated the government’s sinister scheme. The regime stood exposed. They took the State by suprise that is why the master minders of the scheme have reacted differently with the president immediately holding a meeting with the Archbishop, and the Security Minister promising an investigation, while the police has been instructed to reserve their comments on the matter.
Believe me Archbishop Lwanga is a person of refined character besides being highly intelligent; he presides over an institution with millions of followers with assets worth trillions of shillings as well as vast Human Resource – so he cannot be thought to have been reckless in his comment.
You may also need to ask your self why he decided to open up in public instead of sending his complaint through Vice President Sekandi, a very committed Catholic faithful. Alternatively he had the option of making a direct call to the President or seek an appointment with him. I strongly believe, this was a signal that all those ways were found by the Catholic Church to be unhelpful.
The government’s aim in all this is to try as much as possible to access Church secrets so it can effectively plan against it and subsequently weaken it the way they have done with the Muslim faith and the various cultural institutions which can no longer enjoy privacy.
You all see how heavy the unprecedented security detail around Ssabasajja Kabaka and the Katikkiro of Buganda, the Kyabazinga the Abakama of Toro and Bunyoro and others.
A similar scheme has succeeded with market vendors, UTODA, Boda Boda and a large section of the business community, together with musicians and other organised groups.
In conclusion, I wish to thank Archbishop Lwanga for his deliberate message and I appeal to all people of God to check ourselves and fight together against this calculated regime scheme to control our institutions by infiltration.
It is being on the guard that we can preserve the integrity of our religious institutions.
Hussein Kyanjo is retired MP Makindye West and former Secretary General, Justice Forum, JEEMA._
