The dictator emerges from $50 million private jet purchased with stolen foreign aid money
[Letter To Ugandan Diaspora]
There is a general misconception that General Yoweri Museveni’s 32-years-reign ended exile of Ugandans that had characterized the past regimes. While the numbers may have drastically reduced, it is a fact that there are Ugandans in exile all over the world owing to well-founded fears of persecution by the Museveni regime.
Some were persecuted into exile while others fled and continue to flee potential persecution. By comparison, unlike communities from some of its neighbouring countries, by nature Ugandans can persist under any form of political persecution. While a few elites and deserting soldiers fled into exile during the Iddi Amin regime, the majority of Ugandans remained in the country and braved the atrocities of the same regime. That situation was almost the same during the Obote II regime save for a few former soldiers, former Iddi Amin regime henchmen and the persecuted people of West Nile who had taken refuge in Congo and Sudan.
It is for the same reasons that throughout the over two decades of the insurgency in the northern part of Uganda, fewer Ugandans fled to any neighboring country to seek refuge save for the small numbers that fled with Commander Alice Lakwena to Kenya after they were defeated around Jinja on the way to the capital, Kampala. In the northern part of Uganda, despite the war atrocities from both the insurgents and the government troops, it is the government that forcefully forced local residents into concentration camps euphemistically referred to as “Internally Displaced Peoples’ Camps” (IDPs).
If that insurgency had taken place in Congo, almost half of the entire population would have fled the country. The so-called Congo based Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebel group is comprised of Ugandans of sound mind who fled and continue to flee the country owing to well-founded fear of persecution. The much-cherished Ugandans in the diaspora whose remittances are sustaining the economy, is also comprised of exiles and economic refugees. While the latter has overshadowed the former category, Ugandan exiles exist and are scattered all over the world including neighboring countries awaiting for Musevenism to depart with the dictator and they return home in safety and dignity.
It is the Ugandan exiles who are a target of Museveni’s external spy apparatus, External Security Organization (ESO). The Museveni regime often enjoys a successful occasional luring-back home of such individual exiles. Like all other political exiles, Ugandan exiles have also always been fearful of Museveni’s spies. They have always been quick to brand some newly-arrived exiles as Museveni spies and to some extent there is some truth in the assertion.
However, the positive part of such paranoia is the implication that at least there is some positive mischief they are involved in; hence the suspicion. Now Ugandans want to see whatever mischief that has over the years been plotted by exiles turned into reality. “There is a time for everything; a time to sow and a time to harvest”; so goes the saying.
Ugandan exiles have been visibly active on social media and they have done a commendable job. Some of them have organized petitions and peaceful protest marches in their respective host countries. I strongly believe there are other covert activities they contribute to in furtherance of the struggle for change in Uganda.
Last week, dictator Museveni once again tampered with the constitution by scrapping the presidential age limit thus declaring a life-presidency. Fellow countrymen and women in exile, as you are aware Ugandans inside the country are held hostage and under immense repression.
Our freedom to express displeasure by way of protests is brutally curtailed. We are greatly banking on you to turn our somber mood and whispers into loud voices that can be heard far and wide. Our request therefore, is for you to organize petitions and peaceful protest marches in your respective host capitals to highlight Yoweri Museveni’s madness. You successfully forced the regime to pay attention during the Gay Rights protests and other protests; you can make it happen again in the resistance against Musevenism.
Best wishes in your endeavors.
Name of sender withheld
