Rwenzori attacks: Museveni blames intelligence organ

Kampala. Uganda President Yoweri Museveni on Tuesday broke his silence, blaming intelligence agencies, specifically the Internal Security Organisation for failure to detect and thwart the Saturday afternoon bloody attacks in Kasese and Bundibugyo that have so far left more than 90 people, including eight members of security forces, dead. Most of the dead are said to be suspected attackers belonging to the Bakonzo, the majority ethnic tribe in the area.

Security agencies have blamed the attacks on a long standing tribal conflict they (Bakonzo) have had with the minority Basongora and the tensions precipitated by the May 30 coronation of retired Maj Martin Kamya, the first cultural leader of the Bamba, Babwisi and Vonoma communities in Bundibugyo and the neighbouring DR Congo that form the OBB monarchy – which rattled feathers of proponents of the Rwenzururu King, Charles Wesley Mumbere.

Mr Museveni’s statement yesterday blamed the proponents of the Rwenzururu Kingdom for masterminding the tensions prior to the attacks and questioned how the attackers had evaded intelligence agencies.

“Fortunately, today Uganda has got a capable State that is able to deal decisively and expeditiously with such schemes although, of course, there was a failure of intelligence. How did these people weave such a scheme without being pre-empted? What were the GISOs doing?” President Museveni asked. The GISO’s – Gombolola Internal Security Officers, are part of the ISO structure, that maintains presence up to the grassroots. ISO maintains presence in all parts of the country up to the parish level, and it is understood the intelligence audit will look into how its structures could have failed to detect this. Veteran Security Chief David Pulkol, a former head of the external intelligence agencies yesterday agreed with President Museveni on the lapses in intelligence handling – and blamed the police, ISO and Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence. “What had become of our intelligence agencies? May be everybody is looking at Kyankwanzi resolution, President Museveni’s fifth term and they have forgotten about Al-Shabaab? This intelligence failure has baffled us. It sends a wrong message” Mr Pulkol said