APTDates

PRESS RELEASE

UPDATE ON THE ONGOING CRACK DOWN OPERATIONS ON DOMESTIC TERRORISM
During my last press briefing of 2.07.2021, we assured the country, that we are actively tracking down the remaining group of assailants, highly connected to the targeted attacks, which led to the double murder of Nantongo Brenda, Kayondo Haruna and the attempted murder of General Edward Katumba Wamala and his bodyguard, Sgt Khalid Kuboit on the 1/06/2021.
I wish to inform you, that we have also arrested WAMPA HUZAIFA alias Kanaabe, a 30-year-old, former member of BODABODA 2010, who was the second shooter being ridden by Walusimbi Kamada alias MUDINKA alias OGEMA. He was tracked down and arrested on the 12.07.2021 from his hide-out in Kikomeko village, near Kalule Trading Centre, Nakatonya Parish, Nyimbwa Subcounty, in Luwero district. An immediate thorough search was conducted at his known premises, and the motorcycle Bajaj Boxer, red in colour registration number UEO 375D, that was used during the attack was recovered. Other relevant exhibits recovered include the hood that he used to cover his head, an assortment of jackets, gloves, warm suits, and another motorcycle, Bajaj red in colour, registration number UDH 888V that was used in the surveillance of their targets.
I wish to add that during the interrogation of “Kanaabe,” he admitted to participating in a series of planned and highly sophisticated murders and aggravated robberies within the country, that led to the murder of 14 persons, the attempted murder of 3 people and 3 major aggravated robberies. These include; the Murder of Major Muhammad Kiguundu and his bodyguard Sgt. Stephen Mukasa in 2016; the late AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi, his bodyguard Cpl. Erau Kenneth and the driver Cpl. Godfrey Mambewa in 2017; the double murder of No.560 SPC Mubiru Hussein and No. 169 SPC Kalungi Moses, and the attempted murder of Hakiza Evarest at Ntake Bakery, Kalerwe; the murder of Frank Anania, Bugembe Amim, Atukuru Jimmy and Abaho Frank at Nansana Cheap Hardware Stores, the murder of Okoth Button at City Supermarket, Mpererwe, and the most recent murder of Nantongo Brenda and Kayondo Haruna, and the attempted assassination of General Edward Katumba Wamala and his body guard Sgt Khalid Kuboit. The aggravated robberies linked to the terror group are the Ntake Bakery in Kalerwe where they robbed Ugx 33m, in 2017; Nansana Cheap Stores where they allegedly robbed Ugx 300m, City Supermarket at Mpererwe where they robbed Ugx 2.2m and an additional 4.5m from a mobile money attendant.
Our focus now shifts to tracking down the overall coordinator of the domestic terror cells, a one SHEIKH ABU UBAIDA BADIR DIIN BUKENYA. He has been actively recruiting assailants and reactivating the terror cells. We have widely shared his photos and put out a reward of Ugx 5m, for any one with credible information that can lead to his arrest.
The public should know that we are dealing with a very deadly and militant group. In the counter terror operations that we conducted, most of the suspects were violent and confrontational, to the raids made on their hide-outs and during the recovery of the killer weapons, i.e. the two AK47 guns and a pistol and other relevant exhibits, from Nansana, Katooke, Matugga, Maganjo, Namuwongo and Kalule-Bombo. Two of our officers who were seriously injured are still nursing wounds.
As you are all aware, such acts of attacks are aimed at destabilising the prevailing peace, safety and security in our country, by creating a sense of panic and fear among the public. We want to thank the public for their overwhelming support. For those who have criticized and demonised the police for our actions against the ruthless acts of violence by these terror groups, just know that you are encouraging them to repeat their brutal and unlawful acts.
Our counter-terror operations aimed at dismantling the terror cells continue. We do fully support the resolute enforcement actions and commitment of the task team to their duties because countering threats of domestic terror and extremism, is much harder than what most people think. However, our teams have showed that they have superior capacity.


Paul Lokech cgsc, (USA)ndc (RSA)
Maj Gen
DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE

13th July 2021

PAMELA ANKUNDA: Death by social media.

Mid this week, we heard of the 58 deaths in one day which is sad statistic and is shadowed a lot of god things. I repeat, every death is sad, and for me personally, it is made worse, because two of those were close. But let’s shine a candle in the dark world. There were over 1600 recoveries in a week! 1600+!!

As usual, I start with celebrating the medical workers in every corner of our country, the unsung heroes in the COVID-19 fight. Dr. Mary Lilian, President of medical interns posted a celebratory note of Dr. Mulungi Jonathan of Masaka regional hospital, where one of the COVID patients got a cardiac arrest 3 times and he-Dr. Jonathan did CPR for each of those 3 times, keeping the patent alive. Bless you doctor! Cheekily, someone asked if the good doctor was still single. I hope he reads this.

The Teso Parliamentary Caucus met with the staff of Soroti hospital to appreciate their services and boost their morale. Well on, TPG! It was in that very hospital that the Siamese twins-one dead, and one alive were separated, and just as recent, Dr Annet helped deliver a baby girl from a COVID-19 mother. So many little stories of miraculous goodness from different doctors come alive, but on social media, there are so many –as mzee kajabago Karusoke once said, “brain dead” netizens who simply occupy space.

To know them, hear them: They announced the President’s death, a day before he presided over the world health summit in Munyonyo, then quickly pronounced the death of Lt. Gen Muhoozi, of business man BMK, Dr.Kigundu, and a host of other people, prompting some, like the owner of Baguma Restaurant and Hon Fred Ruhindi to come out and say “no, we are not dead”.

Commenting on this, Robert Kabushenga counseled “do not announce a death unless it is yours or your loved one. Let people process their grief. There is no gain in rushing to break news, especially of death…”
Our new Attorney General (also chairman of table topping Football giants-Express FC) Kiryowa Kiwanuka posted a quote from Mike Tyson-“social media made y’all too comfortable with disrespecting people and not getting punched in the face for it…”, to which Grace Aine responded with Albert Einstein’s quote “I fear the day when the technology overlaps with our humanity, the world will only have a generation of idiots….”

You probably had heard that there was a ship docking at Malaba awaiting to deal with our internal elections. “Emeeri” talk, useless as it was occupied our airwaves, our screens and we laughed it off like we normally do, but this only shows you how hoax hoarders are closer and closer to the spaces our children are enjoying, how fake news puts mortar onto the communities we share, tearing our social fabric through defamatory jokes, unchallenged lies. Note, someone said the “emeeri” joke was finding light heartedness and laughter in the silly things of life.

Okay, maybe it was a good joke-a ship docking where there was no water. But what do we make of similar spaces they’ve occupied before with the endless falsities about the (non) existence of COVID-19, quickly turning the talk into COVID-19 being used as a tool to rig elections, then- a tool to curb democracy in Uganda and, the President’s addresses to the population-misconstrued as a campaign gimmick? The Jacks of this world, who, like the antagonist that Jack is in the Lord of the flies, survive on disruption of order and clarity, made happier by chaos, as if COVID-19 itself, ain’t bad enough!

We need to start believing in verified information. That’s the only choice. Let’s ignore people who seek fame without shame, those who seek to gain fortune with no fort. Those-who, on a daily basis-hoard fake news, those who have made lies and garbage their tirade.

If you share a passion for optimism, keep the assurance that we will heal if we do the right things. If your mask is a disposable one, please don’t use and re-use. If it is washable, please wash it. If in shared public spaces, be mindful of everyone else around you.

Lastly, let’s not kill the fighting spirit as we advance more in the fight against spreading the virus. Equally, I beseech you to give fake news and alerts a wide berth. Avoid death by social media. In your own individual way, be a myth buster, be the driver of hope in this passenging world, be a truth seeker, a truth teller, and above all, be the African COVID-19 champion.

Pamela Ankunda is a team leader at APT Communications.