By Joseph Tumushabe

20^th June 2011: The Year – 2001. The Venue: Kololo Airstrip.  Event: President Museveni running a victory lap over an election he had just massively rigged. The message: Those who did not agree with him, had better find bibanja out of Uganda. He was not prepared to accept opposition at home.

Well I was one of the people with some issues with his sectarian approach to managing Uganda and the un-tamable corruption. I had for this reason joined Reform Agenda and was even a member of the Elect Besigye task force. I was not prepared to leave Uganda and was equally not ready to scuttle my hard working consulting group of friends and partners.

I hang on until about 2004 when President Museveni’s intelligence network threatened to pull me into a safe house. I had listened to gory stories of people that had been unfortunate enough to visit then Col. Mayombo outfits.

I was on the Human Rights Desk of Reform Agenda. Especially worrying was Kamusiime’s outfit in Kololo. It was then that I decided to take H.E. Museveni’s advice seriously. I left my family and fast track life for a World unknown. I have lived in quite oblivion and struggled to keep my children in school and put food on the table.

Did these people accept the rules of the game? No. Are they prepared to let me have peace in my new kibanja? No. They took away the life a loved and enjoyed. The life of hard work in teaching and consultancy; the life that was promising to yield me dividends even though the environment in the country was hostile! They took it all away.

They even went for my family. They recruited my wife into their party to my revulsion. They did everything they could to put her in Parliament. I have kept my peace.  BUT wait a minute. Are they prepared to let me have a minute of peace? Well, the terror machine is at it again. They are tapping my telephone calls, they are monitoring my movements.

They imagine I am a member of some group that has mobilised funds and attended meetings in countries I have never stepped into and money I have never seen or touched. They even know the car I use, where I sleep. And they have promised to snuff me out finally.

I am I scared?  No.  I am un-shakable in my belief in God. I have read and taken to heart Psalm 23. I have led a full and satisfied life. I have enjoyed life because of my belief in honesty. And I thank God for my 48 years of life.  No man will threaten me.  END.  Please login to www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories and anytime mid-week for our news updates.