Activists Attack Dictator Museveni

EAST AFRICA: Civil society activists attacked the dictator of an east African country over the continued closure of media organizations, although, the law court issued an order directing police to vacate the company's premises.

Uganda's dictator Yoweri Museveni's militarized police besieged and occupied the Monitor Publications Limited premises since Monday, May 20, on pretext of searching a letter that was authored by the country's spy master Gen David Sejusa commonly known as Tinyefunza.

The police and other security agents in Uganda stormed Monitor premises in Namuwongo with a search warrant purportedly in quest of a letter written by Gen. David Sejusa, the coordinator of Security Services. The premises have remained under siege despite another court order, which cancelled the one police used to surround Monitor.

So far, 8th Street in Industrial Area has been closed to public use, with riot police blocking the road. More officers armed with guns and teargas canisters are also on site.

Gen. Tinyefunza's letter, which was addressed to the Director General of Internal Security Organisation (ISO), Col Ronnie Balya, it [letter] advised the intelligence agency to investigate allegations that there was a plot to eliminate top government officials opposed to a 'Muhoozi Project'.

'Muhoozi Project', the alleged plan to have Brig. Muhoozi Kainerugaba installed as president after his father, Mr Museveni retires. Since the publication of the alleged letter, it has generated some confusion in the ranks among the ruling party and the country.

Despite a court order secured by Monitor Publication Ltd. directing police to vacate the premises on Wednesday, the force has since defied the directive.

The activist convened the press conference and told the journalists at the Human Rights Network for Journalists offices in Ntinda,a Kampala suburb, that the closure amounts to 'economic sabotage, impunity and a contravention of the Constitution.'

Mr Richard Ssewakiryanga, the Executive Director, NGO Forum, said the seizing of Monitor premises was not 'only a misinterpretation of the law but an abuse of the law'

'The logic of the state is becoming hard to understand. Do they need three days to search? When you publish or broadcast, will the document they are looking for fly away? Mr Ssewakiryanga wondered.

He added: 'We must not forget about the business interests of the closed media houses. Who will compensate the people who have been advertising with the paper and are now losing income?'

Retired Bishop Zac Nirigiye rallied Ugandans to start asking tough questions about the conduct of government, saying Uganda has been on a path of 'consistent degeneration' since the removal of term limits in 2005.

'We are sounding an alarm for President Museveni because he is on a path of de-legitimising himself as government deliberately acts with impunity. The Office of the Prime Minister should have been declared a crime scene when some of its officials were being investigated by police,' Bishop Niringiye said.

Bishop's remarks were in reference to the inscriptions place by police on the two different media houses' premises of the Monitor and Red Pepper both besieged on Monday, May 20.

Bishop Niringiye believes that, police should have declared the Office of the Prime Minister, a crime scene and carry out investigations because millions of dollars meant for vulnerable people were swindled by government officials.

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