UGANDA: What drives anger in Museveni's agents of brutality???

WHAT DRIVES THE ANGER IN MUSEVENI'S AGENTS OF BRUTALITY???

1. BACKGROUND

Ugandans and the international community are stunned by the level of brutality that has been publicly exhibited by Museveni's security agents against innocent citizens. There is nothing new; it's the same brutality that Museveni has unleashed on Ugandans right from the time of his wars to gain the presidency and throughout the time he has been in power. The only difference is that while in the past the regime would be able to suppress such information, it's not easy now owing to social media. This explains why camera wielding journalists have specifically been targeted. While such gruesome images and first hand accounts of atrocities would be suppressed by news editors, it's not the case now because journalists and individuals can share the same on social media and other online platforms without waiting for the approval of compromised news editors.

2. WHY HAS THE MILITARY STEPPED IN?
The military has always been there except that it would hide behind the police, directly provide backup for the police, dress in police uniform, use police vehicles, establish command posts at police installations, etc. Otherwise, it's the military and the intelligence services that have always been the architects and lead agencies in such brutal operations against dissenting citizens. The only difference now is that following the sacking and detention of the former police chief, Gen. Kalekyezi, the regime is treating the police with suspicion thus why police is kept in the background.

3. OPERATIONAL PLAN
Before undertaking such operations, the intelligence services generate information which in most cases is inaccurate, exaggerated and malicious. In most cases individual intelligence agencies compete in packaging their reports to attract the attention of Museveni. In some rare cases it's the 'trusted' Minister of Security who lobbies for the approval of such reports. It's Museveni who gives the final say on the course of action thus 'actionable intelligence'. His son who is the Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Operations has a big input in the scrutiny and actioning of such reports. Such reports carry with them recommendations for the course of action. Once Museveni approves, an inter-agency meeting is convened to draw the plan of action. The plan identifies the mission, objective, personnel, logistical and financial cost. It also establishes a central command centre with a clearly set out command and control structure.

4. POLITICAL INDICATION/BRAINWASHING
Every army unit has a Political Commissar whose main job is to coordinate political indoctrination of soldiers. The so-called political education in the security forces is nothing but a communist orientation aimed at aligning the thinking of the soldiers to the regime's ideology through brainwashing. In most cases they are told lies like the 'capitalists' (the west) is using the opposition politicians and civil society to destablize the country. That if the government is overthrown or Museveni lost power the soldiers would be killed, imprisoned and dismissed from service etc. That opposition politicians are responsible for stifling the budget that would be used to improve their welfare. That the opposition has hired mercenaries with intentions of causing anarchy.

5. CHOICE OF PERSONNEL
In most cases it's personnel from the the Military Police, SFC and CMI's special squads who are deployed in such operations. Military Police is re-known even within the army for its ruthlessness and brutality. Depending on the character of its Commander, it is dissented by the rest of the regular soldiers. When Gen. Kaziini was its Commanding Officer, it almost came into a bloody confrontation with the then Lubiri based unit of regular soldiers under Chris Kazoora. In selecting its personnel to go for such operations, the ruthless are most preferred.

In the process of clobbering protesters, they steal their mobile phones, wallets and other personal belongings. The bloodier the chaos, the more gainful it becomes in terms of personal economic gains because abandoned motorcycles and other portable items are lifted from shops. We have seen witnesses footage of security personnel enjoying food abandoned by frightened food vendors. At the end of such operations, soldiers share stories and make comparisons of what booty they will have managed to get for their personal use. In fact in some instances of the so called looting by hooligans is nothing other than by agents of these soldiers who share the loot later. Consequently, it's very common for soldiers to bribe their superiors so as to be included in such operations.

The SFC on the other hand need no motivation other than their dominant ethnic composition. Their mission right from home is to keep Museveni in power or at best to be succeeded by his son, Gen. Muhoozi who is SFC's founding commander.

The fat men in civilian clothes are the intelligence personnel who are attached to such operations. These are the ones who have always been involved in framing, arresting, kidnapping, detaining, torturing, extorting citizens. They are the economic beneficiaries of the regime excesses. They are the authors of false and exaggerated intelligence reports to generate inflated financial costs. They derive their anger from the fear that if the Museveni regime is dislodged they would be made to account for their past. It's this group and the SFC that are the most dangerous category of soldiers.

6. BRIEFING
During briefing, these soldiers are fed on exaggerated threats that they are supposed to confront. They are told that some of them may even be killed. They are told to use maximum force and assured of legal protection from any form of criminal proceedings. However they are sternly warned to as much as possible not to openly demonstrate their actions or at best to conceal their facial identities short of which they would be surrendered for criminal proceedings. They are supposed to be given financial allowance, dry ration in form of biscuits, tinned food and water but instead their superiors end up swindling them and leaving the angry soldiers to fend for themselves from the victims.

7. EXECUTION
While squads are dispatched to the field, a reserve force is always left on standby at the command centre which is usually in Makindye Barracks ready to reinforce. The command centre is manned by the senior leaders of different agencies. It maintains constant communication with the soldiers in the field while at the same time updating the top security chiefs who in turn keep Museveni informed of all developments. In the latest incident, 'the command centre that was using internet generated data to locate the GPS positions of postings by social media activists and then passing it on to the field before the foot soldiers zeroed on such activists. On the ground these soldiers are expected to demonstrate unlimited ruthlessness. One's conduct determines his prospects of future participation in similar operations in. It can even earn one a promotion or a better assignment. Owing to the fact that during action, they are closely watched by their immediate superiors, these soldiers try their best to prove their worth. Should any such soldier be seen to exercise reluctance, leniency or sympathy towards the victims, he risks severe reprimand and at worst being branded subversive which is treasonable.

8. DEBRIEFING
After every operation, the participants are debriefed - a review of the operation focusing on success, failures, shortfalls, and weaknesses. The debriefing helps to shape the conduct of future similar operations. Commendations, praises, reprimands and even rewards are issued out during debriefing. Where, the army finds itself in a fix from pressure as a result of excessive force, it even detains a few soldiers but with an assurance that they would be set free. And once the dust settles down, they are set free and business continues.

Therefore, the source and level of anger by different players is determined by the different motives. SFC and Intelligence operatives are consciously defending the regime to maintain the status quo. The ordinary Military Police soldier is driven by the superior order and the urge to prove his loyalty.

INFORMATION IS POWER AND THE PROBLEM OF UGANDA IS MUSEVENISM

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