Hammurabi, the king of Babylon from 1792 to 1750 B.C., set down one of the earliest codes of law. One of the codes is the “eye for an eye” line, which actually reads:
“If a man destroy the eye of another man, they shall destroy his eye.”
Today, the entire world is in shock following the cruel display of hatred between Israel Jews and Palestine Arabs. The cruelty emanating from both sides is beyond imagination and certainly not sanctioned by God. It is Hammurabi’s law all over again until Arabs and Jews will, one day, become tired of slaughtering each other’s children.
We can say the same to Somalis and Congolese who long lost any semblance of being called a civilized people. Their propensity to bloodletting is unmatched. But as day following night, they will one day stop killing each other perhaps after a sober generation comes along.
Killing each other in Uganda had become like a spectator sport. We were so used to death that people went about shaving their heads or drinking tea a few meters away from dead bodies. We got tired of it now are busy building a great country along the River Nile.
Mr. President, I am going to openly address you on the killing of two white tourists and other related aspects.
These newlyweds, Celia and David Barlow, from Berkshire England, were driving through Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda when they were killed along with their guide. Security sources said the honeymooners were attacked by “terrorists- ADF” who set fire to their safari vehicle.
Sir, it is now obvious that the ADF (Allied Democratic Forces) have changed their modus operandi. They have tasted the human (white) blood, as an old male lion would, now we have to eliminate them completely. “An eye for an eye” will be in order if we can really ‘find’ their bases.
Previously the ADF bandits set up bombs in Kampala, abducted school kids indeed murdered scorer more in burning schools from Kichwamba in 1995 to Mpondwe Lubiriha Secondary School in 2023. All these atrocities, though heinous, cannot compare with the severity of killing the two tourists.
First and foremost, these people were white- an English girl and her South African husband. You don’t kill white people ever.
So you know, the punishment being meted on Palestinian people this time around is daring to jump over the fence and kill Jews (you don’t get more worthy white people than Jews). Now the entire world, outside the Arab and Islamic caliphates, is silent but inwardly supporting Jews to teach Palestinians a lesson.
Mr. President, Uganda today gets a huge chunk of its foreign exchange from the visits of these white people to see our natural wonders. You don’t get many “Paradise on Earth” as Sir. Winston Churchill once baptized Uganda.
Uganda has always been a ‘Paradise on Earth’ – a place where God might have stood during creation. But useless politicians and cruel soldiers; fake government policies and twisted economic strategies had kept the tourism sector completely destroyed.
Therefore Mr. President, security of our foreign visitors is paramount; more important than keeping Somalia, Central Africa Republic, Guinea Bissau, Congo Brazzaville, South Sudan and DRCongo safe.
The named countries above is where we have our troops engaging in what has long become senseless civil wars. We understand our obligation to our African brothers but at what cost?
Mr. President, the aftermath of the wanton murders of the young white couple did not get the reaction it deserved. In fact I expected you, Africa’s greatest military General, to be in your full military attire commanding our reaction in a tent near the murder scene. At least Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba (MK) would have been sent over.
I see a sense of reluctance now crippling in, or call it complacency, where really troubling national issues are treated as minor incidences because they have no weight in politics!
Does it really add up to put the entire security apparatus on standby ‘first class’ because opposition supreme Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine is arriving from America? Who is left out there to check on rogue forces like ADF when they sneak over the border to kill our people?
Why would the police, indeed your government, deploy heavily-armed police to help ‘supervise’ internal party elections in FDC? By now I would logically think that if you ignored these shenanigans of opposition politicians like you did to Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) Dr. Olara Otunnu, we would all sleep soundly in our homes!
Mr. President, the constitution allowed indeed you let Bobi Wine and other opposition fellows to practice politics beside you in Uganda. You allowed them even when you would have said “hapana- no!” Now why would we be wasting a lot of resources in keeping them in check rather than safeguarding our borders indeed protecting our tourists and citizens?
Now the blame-game is on threatening to overshadow any meaningful investigation and necessary remedies. That the tourists were killed because of infighting in UWA (Uganda Wildlife Authority) is a cock and bull story. ADF has now changed its Modus operandi (ekiswa bwekikyusa amasso…) and your government has to react accordingly.
Mr. President, I am one of those lucky Ugandans who fought alongside you and therefore aware of your capabilities. You have kept our people safe for decades but we need more of this security now. More importantly, stay away from politics more especially patronage and instead use your mandate to govern the country properly.
It is illogical for the country to continue passing out ‘LDUs’ ,(why not strengthening the reserve force la Israel!) ostensibly to protect us internally when our crack forces are wasting away protecting other countries! What are our national strategic interests in as far as keeping our troops say in Somalia?
Sir, I understand the strategic and military logic of having our troops in the DRC. Unfortunately, the ADF rebels have found an easy way to sneak into the country and murder our people and now tourists. Bring back our brigades from DRC and form military outposts two kilometers apart along the western border. You can, with the money saved from foreign military follies, construct a border fence on the western part of Uganda. Troops from Somalia or CAR should be deployed along major western towns always on standby to spring into action. I would also consider deploying a battalion of soldiers in every one of our major national and reserve game parks.
Let us have more security personnel guarding and collaborating intelligence on ADF rather than eve-dropping on what Barbie is cooking for Kyagulanyi. Why would the country still be spending money on what Col. Kizza Besigye plans or doesn’t plan?
Mr. President, if the tourists stay away, you will be facing your biggest challenge far harder than fighting Joseph Kony. But you can implement security measures that will guarantee their safe return. White people are by nature very adventurous. Surely they will not be scared to return but to a minimum, the government has to be seen strengthening it’s security across our game parks.
If we have to follow King Hammurabi then so be it. Sir; national security is more important than politics!
Last word is from a Baganda saying: “Baba babulirira owabobwe, nga owomunaku amatu atega.” Literally meaning that ‘learn to pay attention to issues which are not even meant for you!’
Adam Kamulegeya
adamkam2003@gmail.com
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