16 Feb 2006: ISS Today: Uganda: Gunmen Shoot at Museveni Convoy

16 FEBRUARY 2006: “GUNMEN SHOOT AT MUSEVENI CONVOY”
Hellen Mukiibi, NEW VISION

News reports coming out of Uganda indicate that President Yoweri Museveni`s convoy was on Saturday attacked and shot at by unidentified gunmen in Moroto district between 9:30pm and 10:00pm. The shooting incident has been confirmed by the Presidential Guard Brigade spokesman, Lt Edison Kwesiga, who stated on Monday that a group of armed elements on the night of February 11 shot at the presidential convoy when it was returning from Kotido to Mororinga State Lodge. Lt Kwesiga also confirmed that the president was safe and would continue with his campaigns for re-election to an unprecedented third term.
(Picture courtesy World Bank)

Commentary:

Lt Kwesiga was quoted in the Uganda daily, New Vision, as saying that “the group, whose identity is yet to be established, fired bullets we believe were from a machinegun and small rifles. They fired at the advance armoured vehicle that forms part of the presidential convoy. The vehicle was not damaged at all. Our firepower overwhelmed the enemy, who took off in disarray.”

This incident took place in the Karimojong region where vehicles are commonly attacked. This area is also known for its high level of insecurity and cattle rustling. Ironically, during one of his earlier campaign rallies in the region, President Museveni had made an impassioned appeal to Karimojong warriors to peacefully hand over all guns in their possession because of the widespread insecurity and heavy cost that the “old devil of a gun” posed, frightening away people who are supposed to bring ‘development’ to the region. However, analysts have pointed out that this attack on the Presidential convoy is not typical of the Karimojong rustlers: they are not known to attack long convoys and the weapons that were used are atypical. This has given rise to speculation that those responsible are most likely a completely different group of armed elements. The Ugandan authorities have launched investigations to establish the identity of the attackers.

This attack on President Museveni’s convoy comes as the country prepares for general and presidential elections on February 23. Since this shooting of the presidential convoy there has been an escalation of violence connected to the upcoming general elections. The most recent incident took place on February 14 when three people were killed by a soldier who opened fired into a crowd that was waiting for opposition leader Kizza Besigye in Mengo, the seat of the Buganda Kingdom.

Although President Museveni and his National Resistance Movement are poised to win, there are already alarms being raised about the levels of intimidation and violence by both the government and the ruling party, of the inequality of campaign opportunities, the perceived bias of the Electoral Commission, and continuing violence in northern Uganda. In a report entitled “In Hope and Fear: Uganda’s Presidential and Parliamentary Polls” that has just been released, Human Rights Watch warns that the coming elections would not be truly free and fair due to the uneven playing field.

Wafula Okumu