Musa Seka Baluku is one of the top disciples of Jamil Mukulu who was a militant leader, principal founder and former leader of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an armed Islamist rebel group that has terrorized Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Baluku who is now on America’s list of most-wanted terrorists, is believed to have been born in 1977 (43-44 age) in Kasese district and he is a mukonjo by tribe.
He comes from a poor family and he did not attain formal or western education. However he was enrolled in Islamic studies (Madalasa), at a young age and because of his love for Islamic studies, Baluku became a Salafi jihadist at an early age, and formerly served as an Imam at the Malakaz mosque in Kampala.
It’s from this mosque that he met his master Jamil Mukulu (born David Steven) who admired the skills and the tenacity that he saw in the young man Baluku.
When he formed the rebel group ADF in 1995, Baluku is one of the pioneer members that Mukulu recruited immediately. Baluku served as one of Mukulu’s chief lieutenants since he was well versed with Sharia law.
When Uganda Peoples’ Defence Force defeated ADF from Kasese, they relocated to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Although many original members of ADF surrendered to UPDF while others flee away, Baluku did not leave his master.
And because of that much trust and loyalty Mukulu saw in Baluku, he appointed him to numerous positions within the ADF. He served as the group’s chief Islamic judge and handed down punishments to those who violated the group’s interpretation of Sharia law.
He also served as the ADF’s “political commissar”, and was in charge of teaching the ADF’s ideology to recruits as well as indoctrinating them with the theory and doctrines of terrorism.
In 2014, Baluku was given a second in command rank and when his mater Jamil Mukulu was arrested in Tanzania in 2015, Baluku immediately took his place as commander of the ADF and appointed himself “Sheikh”, recruits were commanded to call him Amir (Supreme leader).
Baluku has significantly strengthened the group more than his master because he has expanded his outreach into social media to recruit more followers, and has publicly aligned the ADF with better-known jihadist groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq, the Levant and Al-Shabaab. These other Islamic groups have upped ADF members with very sophisticated terrorism skills.
Baluku is described as the most notorious leader in ADF who has burned people on the stake, crucified many female Congolese on the cross, raped women from both Uganda and DRC. He has ordered the abduction of children to serve as child soldiers and has presided over mass killings of civilians by firing squad.
Baluku is said to feel insecure around his subordinates and because of this trait, he consolidates his power within the ADF through brutal intimidation tactics and has executed suspected dissidents by beheading or crucifixion.
He has survived death several times and the most prominent one is in 2017 when the UPDF attacked their camp. It’s believed that he sustained major wounds but did not die. However many of his top leaders died.
In December 2019, the US government put him on the list of the most wanted terrorist leaders. He is also under sanction by the United Nations for terrorist activities.
His notorious leadership is supported by other ruthless jihadists militants such as Rashid Swaib Hud Lukwago, nicknamed PRO, Muhammad Kayira nicknamed called Kundippe, Musa Baluwa Kibuuye, Nasser Abdul Hamid all from Uganda.
His leadership has committed alot of atrocities in Uganda and DR Congo through the use of child soldiers. He has taken several wives from both DRC and Uganda, two of them being daughters of Jamil Mukulu, who is up to date under lock and key at Luzira Prison.
Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
