UGANDA: WHY MUSEVENI WILL PAY THE BAGANDA IN THE SAME CURRENCY HE PAID THE ACHOLI FOR BRINGING HIM TO POWER

 

By CHANGE OF GUARDS

After the overthrow of Idi Amin in 1979, Museveni stepped up his scheme of creating a southern army to challenge the dominance by northerners. The post Idi Amin army, UNLA was dominated by the Acholi and Langi from northern Uganda. He established his guerrilla army bases in Buganda by exploiting the historical grudges of the Baganda against Obote and his UPC government. In July 1985, the dominant Acholi soldiers in the UNLA turned against the Langi and overthrew Obote and his UPC. This development gave Museveni's NRA breathing space and consolidation of its position before kicking out the Acholi six months later, in January 1986. As the Baganda jubilated the overthrow of the Acholi, the latter were bracing for a rebellion against Museveni that lasted 20 years leaving them socially, economically and politically crippled. The now subdued Acholi region is Museveni's top stronghold and the Acholi soldiers are dominating the foot soldiers in Museveni's security machinery. However, they are still resisting Museveni's final scheme of totally subduing them by grabbing their land which with time he will definitely take.

On the other hand, for the last 35 years, Museveni has successfully delivered a heavy social, economic and political blow to the Baganda. His final stage of totally subduing them is being resisted, thus the current standoff. Now that Museveni has declared their awakening to be an insurrection and described them as terrorists, the stage is set for a bloody showdown. If they have the stamina to sustain their defiance, they will have to endure what befell the Acholi. For the contribution of the two ethnic entities, he has to equally pay them in their own currency. Interestingly, he will have to deploy predominantly Acholi soldiers to quell the Baganda insurrection the same way he had used Acholi soldiers to defeat the 20 years old Acholi rebellion.

Therefore, Museveni's sectarian Bush War thrived in Buganda because of the support of the Baganda against Obote. Similarly, had the Acholi in the UNLA not turned against the Langi and overthrown Obote, Museveni's NRA wouldn't have captured power.

INFORMATION IS POWER AND THE PROBLEM OF UGANDA IS MUSEVENISM