By Timothy Nsubuga

27^th Dec 2010

L-R, Ogole, Maj. Ruranga, Besigye

Col. John Charles Ogole, the man who commanded UNLA’s Special Brigade against Museveni’s then National Resistance Army [NRA] rebels in the Luwero Triangle, has urged officers and men in Uganda’s armed forces to ‘desert’ Museveni and side with the people of Uganda in the 2011 elections.

In a New Year message sent to Ugandan security personnel, Ogole said, “…as the New Year approaches, I would like to send my sincere seasonal greetings, advice, and appeal to members of the armed forces who are engaged in the noble task of upholding the security of our nation to abandon Museveni and side with the people of Uganda”.

This festive season, Ogole said, is unique because of the anticipation of the impending Presidential, Parliamentary, and Mayoral elections due in February 2011.  The deceptive peace and quiet in the 2011 campaigns so far, Ogole warned, “…is Museveni’s new tactic to conceal the dark cloud of violence he is planning to unleash against those who will reject his election rigging in 2011”.

He added that experience gained through Museveni’s previous elections shows that brutality, intimidation, beatings, destruction of lives and properties, coercion, threats, bribing of the electorate, rigging, and imprisoning of opposition leaders are Museveni’s favourite “election campaign tools”.

The fact that he appears to have abandoned his “election campaign tools” this round, Ogole says, “…is Museveni’s attempt to lure Ugandan citizens and the international community into falsely believing that the 2011 elections will be peaceful, free, and fair”.

The army in particular, Ogole said, is Museveni’s “last card” weapon in his desperate attempt to hang on to power after the people of Uganda reject him in the 2011 elections.  “…This hidden weapon can be seen from the massive number of young men being recruited everyday to join the army, police, and tribal/regional militias”, Ogole said.

Ogole also said the young recruits’ minds have been “poisoned through intense indoctrination” by the NRM ideologues who have urged them to deal mercilessly with any dissenters after the election.  Ogole named Gen. Salim Saleh, Gen. Tinyefunza, and Gen. Elly Tumwine as the three “chief suspects” spearheading the alleged indoctrination exercise.

But it wasn’t all doom and gloom.  The veteran commander said in spite of all Museveni’s moves, he was very optmistic that change will come to Uganda in 2011.  “…From what I have observed in the last few months, one thing has come out very clearly:  The people of Uganda have taken Museveni’s 24 years of bullying very seriously and they now are determined to play it back to him”, Ogole said.

That is why, the Col. reasoned, you can see that every serious opposition leader now has what he called “…a protection unit which looks like a private army”. He said these protection units have already clashed with Museveni’s “agents of oppression” like Gen. Kayihura’s police force and the infamous “Kiboko Squad”.

More, he said, was yet to come and it was high time that the army in particular stops brutalising civilians.  Museveni, Ogole said, is preparing to fight the people of Uganda using their own sons, daughters, and arms bought by their own taxes.  In what seemed like a direct challenge to UPDF soldiers, Ogole said:

“…you must now decide whether you belong to Museveni’s personal army or are proud professional soldiers trained and armed by the citizens of this country to carry out the noble job of protecting the nation against any external aggression.

You are also your country’s saviour from the claws of dictatorship, oppression, and human rights abuses.  Your decision at this crucial moment in the history of our country will either plunge the country into a senseless blood bath or rid it of the greedy psychopaths so that it can reclaim its position among civilised nations once again.

The oppressed, impoverished citizens of your country are looking up to you for redemption.  The international community is looking to see how mature you are as members of a noble profession who are prepared to sacrifice your most precious lives in defence of your country.  The world is waiting to see if you will stand on the side of the people or allow yourselves to be used as tools of destruction against your own people.

Never ever commit any atrocities against the people of Uganda under the pretext of obeying orders.  Under military law, you are not obliged to obey an unlawful order.  If you decide to do so, then you must also be prepared to bear the consequences when the ICC catches up with you.

Remember that before you joined the army, police, or militia group, you were a civilian.  Your parents, uncles, aunties and all your relations are civilians who value you very highly and would never want to see you being used as a blant instrument of destruction.

It’s the civilians who pay your salary, arm you, and cater for your all military or police needs.  They are your masters.  Always remember that”.

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