Gen. Lokech. Natural death or foul play. Dictator Museveni has killed so many that he’s always the default suspect. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
[Speaking Truth To power]
Major General Paul Lokech, whose last post was as deputy inspector general of police in Uganda is dead reportedly of a “blood clot.”
Whenever a senior military officer in Uganda dies, or survives an assassination attempt, the first name that comes to the mind of 99% of Ugandans, including members of the ruling party, National Resistance Movement—is “Yoweri Museveni” Uganda’s violent dictator of 35 years now.
Gen. Museveni has eliminated so many prominent officers that it’s much more likely than unlikely that he may have had a hand in the death of Gen. Lokech.
On June 1, another senior officer, Gen. Katumba Wamala, survived an assassination attempt. His daughter, who was traveling in the same vehicle with Wamala wasn’t so lucky and died when the car was bullet-riddled by assassins riding motorcycles. Wamala emerged from his car, bleeding and crying, with bullet holes in his arms and, in that moment of spontaneity, he spoke truth to power—Wamala posed a rhetorical question: “With all the loyalty I’ve shown this regime why do they want to kill me?”
The answer is: Gen. Museveni does not know what the word “loyalty” means. He has already made this clear to Ugandans. Why won’t Ugandans believe the dictator? In a public speech Museveni told Ugandans that “I’m not your servant.” And separately, in an interview with Kenyan journalist Jeff Koinange Museveni said it doesn’t “matter” whether Ugandans appreciate him or not. He said he was working for his children, and his grand children. At least the Kleptocrat is honest enough to let people know where he stands.
Ugandan life dictator Museveni. Photo: Facebook.
His actions support his words. There’s no one who was once close to Museveni who has not been either sidelined or eliminated.
Dr. Kizza Besigye retired as a colonel and abandoned the NRM when, he said, the party—meaning Museveni—had abandoned its pledge to create a democratic Uganda. He was subsequently arrested and brutally beaten numerous times. He ran for the presidency four times and won at least three of those contests. On each occasion Museveni, who is in effect a military dictator, simply refused to yield power.
Here are the names of a few senior “loyal” officers who’ve been killed:
Brigadier Nobel Mayombo, May 1, 2007; Gen. James Kazini, Nov. 10, 2009; and, Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, Sept. 12, 2015.
The recent attempt on Wamala’s life was supposedly to clear the path for Museveni’s son, the Junior Dictator Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the heir apparent. Papa Doc Museveni and Baby Doc supposedly don’t believe Wamala is “loyal.” As if “loyalty” counts for anything with Museveni. Wamala survived in June. There will likely be more attempts.
Perhaps Lokech was seen as a potential obstacle to the Muhoozi project, Gen. Museveni’s long-discussed scheme to eventually anoint his son as Senior Dictator.
“Loyalty” means nothing to Museveni. All of his associates are expendable. I wouldn’t be shocked if Museveni has a black book in a safe in State House with the dates for the elimination of the various players on Museveni’s political-and-military chess board.
Look what happened to Museveni’s bag-man and chief thief, Sam Kutesa, a.k.a. former “foreign minister” for decades.
Kutesa and Museveni stripped many of Uganda’s major assets and pocketed the proceeds, including Uganda Airlines. They formed Entebbe Handling Services (Enhas) with Kutesa as CEO and Museveni’s brother Gen. Salim Saleh as major partner.
Then Black Star News published a story on Sept. 15, 2014 detailing how Kutesa stole nearly $30 millions from the U.N. through Enhas. As a result of the article, the FBI bugged Kutesa’s phone and e-mail after approval from a federal judge. The FBI even sent agents to Uganda. That was how the U.S. was able to obtain information about the corruption scheme involving Kutesa, Museveni, and a Chinese national named Chi Ping Patrick Ho, who eventually bribed the two Ugandans $1 million as a down payment for oil business in Uganda. More money was to come down the pipeline.
Ho was convicted on the bribe charges in December 2018.
The FBI said Kutesa’s cut of the $1 million was wired from a New York bank to his Kampala account. Museveni’s share was delivered, MAFIA style, in cash in a Gulf Stream jet when Patrick Ho flew to Uganda in May 2016 to attend Museveni’s “swearing in” after he stole the presidential election from Dr. Kizza Besigye. Ho was arrested at JFK airport in New York in November 2017. Kutesa who was in the U.S. at one point for a meeting departed in a hurry when he suspected the FBI wanted to arrest him. Both Kutesa and Museveni have not stepped on U.S. soil since 2018.
Even though they stole together, what did Museveni do to Kutesa? After Museveni stole the Jan. 14 presidential election from Bobi Wine, he finally dumped his loyal bagman and “foreign minister” from the government. Yet, Kutesa knows where all the skeletons are buried, meaning he too may not be safe from Museveni.
Loyalty to Museveni is as good as a death sentence.
Museveni has betrayed Uganda and many Ugandans who were loyal to him.
The dictator must go before he rewards more loyal Ugandans by sending them six feet under.
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