On 21st and 22nd June 2017, the world gathered in Uganda to stand in solidarity with the country as it hosted over 1 million refugees.
This was during the Uganda Solidarity Summit on refugees.
The summit, hosted by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and the United Nations Secretary General, Mr. Antonio Guterres raised over USD350m out of the targeted USD2m
A few days after the conference, Museveni summoned Gen Kale Kayihura to State House and as usual he expected to brief the Commander in Chief (CiC) on state of security.
“But it was business unusual,” a source privy to the meeting told this website.
Very bold and unshaken but humble, Kayihura faced the President whose opening statement exhibited anger and disgust; “Why are you kidnapping refugees and forcefully sending them back to Rwanda and South Sudan?” Museveni is quoted to have asked his most trusted General.
“Kayihura frowned his face because this was a bombshell to him,” a source added.
After displaying ignorance on forceful extradition of refugees to neighbouring countries, Museveni would later narate his ‘ordeal’ to Kayihura.
UN aid
Museveni told the Police Chief that a refugee conference that had just ended fetched Uganda $350D as aid donated by different countries.
Museveni added that this was not his money alone but several stakeholders including police.
But he was dismayed to learn the same police was collaborating with those that can be deemed ‘enemies’ to frustrate government projects.
Museveni then opened up to Kayihura how he had gathered intelligence that senior police officers had abducted Rwandan refugees and sent them back some of whom have been jailed for life in Rwanda and South Sudan.
“Yet these are same people who has been accorded asylum and were promised protection,” a source said.
A furious Museveni further divulged to the IGP that United Nations had even threatened to cut aid because of these illegal extradions.
Museveni then cited Rwandan ex army official Joel Mutabazi as an example who in 2013 was kidnapped in Kamengo, Mpigi district and sent back from where he was imprisoned for life.
He added Mutabazi is among those refugees whose extradition UN vehemently opposed.
The International Human Right’s groups vowed to withdraw funding because Uganda is failing on this mandate.
Museveni told Kayihura the person at the centre of committing these crimes are Nixon Agasirwe, one of Kayihura’s trusted boys.
Museveni wondered why Nixon who was once praised for combating insecurity had turned out to be a rogue cop.
The President told Kayihura that he has been investigating his ‘house’ for a long time.
“I am going to arrest all your people. These boys will not spoil my image. You know very well I don’t tolerate indiscipline in the force,” Museveni told Kayihura who nodded in agreement.
The two UPDF Generals agreed that it will be very hard for police to investigate its own officers, therefore the President said he will handle.
“But he didn’t reveal which security organ would handle investigations.
And indeed last week on Monday Nixon Agasiirwe, several other police officers were arrested and on Friday charged in Court Martial along with a Rwandan fugitive who has been in Custoday for over 2 months.
They were remanded to Luzira prison and Makindye barracks.
appeared for a Court Martial in Makindye, Kampala and were charged and remanded to Luzira and Makindye barracks.