It is not every day that Ugandans get a response about pressing issues from the head of state on his twitter handle but seeing President Museveni Kaguta taking to twitter to rant like United States counterpart Donald Trump really meant that this was an important issue.
If you are probably wondering what is happening, allow me to take you back to about fortnight ago on July 23, when four members of a comedy group, Bizonto were arrested for allegedly promoting sectarianism in their parody-style kits that usually make thousands of views on social media.
This particular skit had the comedians teaching children about which people occupy strategic positions in the country. They kicked off in the army with President Museveni, Chief of Defence Forces Gen David Muhoozi, and Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the senior presidential advisor on special operations.
They did not stop there as Bank of Uganda Governor Tumusiime Mutebile, Ministry of Finance Permanent Secretary Keith Muhakanizi, Commissioner General of Prisons Dr. Johnson Byabashaija, Minister of Security Gen Elly Tumwine, Internal Security Organisation boss Col Bagyenda Kaka, Chief of Military Intelligence Maj Gen Abel Kandiho, commander of the Special Forces Command Maj Gen James Birungi, and the Electoral Commission chairperson, Mr. Simon Byabakama were also pulled in the mix before claiming that Major General Sabiiti Muzeeyi the Deputy Inspector General of Police has more influence than his boss Mr. Ochola.
So all these events had controlled public debate for close to two weeks force the president to pen a response that he released on social media on Thursday evening.
“The other wrong malignment is trying to cast the NRM as a system monopolized by people from western Uganda. Since you are allergic to history, otherwise, I would have reminded you that much of my time I was in Tanzania, Mozambique, etc. How many Banyankore or Westerners were there? We fought in the Luwero Triangle. Many Ugandan groups were there: Baganda, Banyankore, Barugwaara, Baruuru, Barundi, Banyarwanda, Baruuli, Banyoro,” read the tweet.
The president also rushed to the defense of the armed forces instructing the public to leave them out of the nonsense of tribal debates. “They have serious work to do and they have done it well. Leave them out of your confusion. The only point one can say about that is recruitment in the Armed Forces is by quotas per district. You check during the recruitment time.” he added.
He went on to name Mr. John Mitala, the Cabinet Secretary and Head of Public Service; a one Katuramu Haji Yunus Kakande; Secretary, Office of the President; Ms. Lucy Nakyobe Mbonye, the State House Comptroller, and Dr. Kenneth Omona, the Principal Private Secretary to show that he is comfortable working without Banyankore.
