It's now public knowledge that President Museveni is buying fighter jets at a whooping Shs1.7trillion, an amount of money that would sort out Uganda's health problems for more than 3 years.
But typical of NRM approach, patients at Mulago national referral hospital have to stage strikes protesting failure to receive treatment for six months. Those in village hospital simply visit the health centers to die "honorably."
But why is the President investing in fighter jets.
Here is why. Soon after elections, Col. Moses Rwakitarate visited Russia. Rwakitarate works in the Ugandan air force. A source in Russia told me that Rwakitarate, who is Museveni's blue-eyed boy, was shocked by the discussion of the Russian military chiefs about troubled Libyan dictator Col. Muamar Gaddafi's military weakness. He heard that the Russians knew that Gaddafi had a weak air force with rusty war planes and soldiers. That Gaddafi had only concentrated on the welfare of his elite presidential guard army at the expense of the general army. Besides, Gaddafi's army had not had any refresher training, so they were ill prepared to fight when the insurrection started.
He had to reorganise his own army before attacking that rebels that iswhy the rebels fisrt moved faster than Gaddafi.
So, for Museveni, this was a lesson learnt. He had to quickly get money to buy fighter jets in case anything happens in Uganda.
And that anything could be possible. Again, here is why. For sometime, the intelligence has supplied Museveni with information that the Opposition elements especially Col. Kizza Besigye were organizing a rebellion. The intelligence claim thatBesigye has the support of DR Congo and Rwanda. They further allege that rebels of arrested dissident Laurent Nkunda, was supposed to have been integrated into the DR Congo army after Nkunda was nabbed. That some of the rebels agreed to be integrated while others opposed. Even those integrated did not find the working conditions suitable, so they asked to join their fellow rebels. Most of these were Rwandan interahamwe. Apparently, Ugandan intelligence believes that Paul Kagame and Joseph Kabila, felt the rebels would pose a serious headache to them. That to appease the rebels, the two leaders agreed to locate them somewhere between Rwanda and Congo. They are reportedly being paid monthly stipend and have been promised that they would soon be engaged.
That engagement, according to Ugandan intelligence, was to fight the Kampala regime.
After getting this information, the Ugandan coordinator of intelligence services Gen. David Tinyenfuza evicted Balaalo in the oil rich district of Buliisa. This, eviction, according to sources, was to try to avoid infiltration from the alleged rebels since most of them have Rwandan links.
However, the Kampala regime is notorious for cooking up rebel allegations in order to unleash violence to genuine Opposition figures in the country.
It's now difficult to know which information to believe: whether this is creation of the intelligence or a real threat to the Kampala regime. There is however, growing tension in intelligence that any time, a new rebel force would be at work. This belief by the intelligence has already created suspicion against some high ranking soldiers. Sources say several soldiers are now under surveillance because they are accused of being sympathetic to the Opposition endeavors.
Because of fear that some elements in the army could defect to Opposition if chaos erupt, the private Security Company--Saracen--which is owned by Gen. Salim Saleh, is reportedly briefed to supply fighters to protect Museveni. Although Saracen provides private guarding services, sources say its top managers are all seasoned military officers close to the President. Their deployment in Saracen is to ensure that when called upon, they should be able to provide extra fighting force to defend the regime. Critics say in effect, Saracen is a standby force for the President.
During the presidential campaigns, there was tension in the army. This tension explains why we saw several roadblocks on highways across the country. And after the elections, roadblocks are still on highway but Ugandans have not understood why. Some roadblocks were set up to screen travelers to the city after it emerged that the Opposition led by UPC's Olara Otunnu, had mobilised 1million people for a demonstration in Kampala. Apparently, during the campaigns, Otunnu was not looking for the votes since he knew that Museveni had rigged the elections. Instead, the UN diplomat used the campaigns to silently mobilise rioters to action after elections.
However, the plan leaked. Museveni security set up the roadblocks. And unknown to Ugandans, the intelligence is scrutinising travelers. Any public vehicle carrying more than six male passengers, is highly monitored to ascertain where the men are going. In the roadblocks, the security pretends to be searching the taxis yet in actual sense they are counting the number of men in the car. That is how the mini bus carrying young from Busia was recently arrested. The men were being mobilised to travel to Kampala for a demonstration but the intelligence got wind of wind that is the men said they were going to work in a farm in Mityana. It was not their destination. Kampala was the ultimate destination. To kill off any demonstration, Mambas have been placed on all main roads leading to the city center to scare away potential protesters.
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