In the 90s, a local Police had been on the hunt for a notorious gang of thieves who had raided almost every living room of homes in the shantytown of Mandera, Kenya.
The streetwise, as they were famously branded had stayed on the Police wanted list for a decade. The local police had printed and posted faces of some of the gang chieftains on the streets, inside shopping malls and bars.
All the measures by police had hit a snag for almost a decade until their 40th day could no longer wait for a second when an intelligence-led operation netted and busted the gang cell in the outskirts of Mandera town. The bandits, having realized that their rooting extravaganza had been ended and it was time for them to face the music, surrendered to the authorities amid an uncontrolled angry mob.
During interrogation by police detectives, the now desperate gangsters skillfully seized the moment. They unanimously said that they were strong supporters of the then county Governor and Rais Moi. This was captured by the journals and subsequently turned into a public discussion.
They aimed to die fighting and their trick kind of swayed the discussion from their long-time rampage to their connection with the top leadership which was a false and desperate allegation intended to divert the attention from them and their bundle of crimes.
On Tuesday, while addressing a presser in the precincts of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Mathias Mpuga, the leader of the opposition in Parliament declared their intention to convince fellow legislators to pull the rug out from under the feet of the sitting Minister of Security, Hon. Maj. Gen Jim Muhwezi.
The leader of the opposition and his cohorts maliciously accused the Minister of abdicating responsibility in the face of torture of Ugandans by security operatives, a tactical move to keep their two-week walk-out protest in the news. Unfortunately or fortunately, for political reasons, their protest has been interrupted by the special sitting of Parliament paying tribute to the fallen King of Teso.
Indeed like he (LOP) said in his Thursday address, it’s only known to him and his cronies why they chose to censure Gen Muhwezi well knowing that he has not only been an active Minister on the floor but also that he’s not directly responsible for the allegations leveled against him.
As their off-camera intention to censure the Minister remains a closely guarded secret, we, who have been closing following the parliamentary proceedings online have since seen and know that Gen Muhwezi has on several occasions listened to and responded to several queries as and when raised by either the Leader or any member of the opposition on the floor of parliament.
Responses ranging from the statements on alleged kidnaps, torture victims, political prisoners among others have been made by the ministers of security and internal affairs respectively on the floor during plenary sessions
One might be convinced to believe that members of the opposition have a personal grudge against Gen Muhwezi because the allegations leveled against him during their presser were defamatory and baseless. If the opposition had an undisputed case against the Minister, they would have genuinely raised the same on the floor of the house in civil debate but choosing the camera to talk a big game about protecting human rights and censure is shooting themselves in their feet in a broader context of political hygiene and parliamentary democracy.
Yes, the public, might, for a moment be swayed by the rosy lies fueled in the media but it won’t be long before the motion being touted is tabled for debate and the government wipes the floor with the opposition.
Not to agree with some of their issues such as torture or illegal detention of suspects is being disingenuous to you dear reader of this column, however, their modes Operandi invokes a lot of suspicion about their objective. In this case, their intention to move a motion to censure Hon Jim Muhwezi, their objective is to stay afloat in the media because of late they have been sinking.
tumwesigyearthur1@gmail.com
Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
