Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Last month, our columnist Dismas Nkunda told a
little story from his days in primary school, when President Idi Amin
ruthlessly dictated the goings-on in Ugandan politics.
Gen Amin had arrived in Kabale and told locals to question him on anything that was of concern to them.
However, perhaps as an afterthought, Amin added: "There are some
questions that I will not entertain; don't ask me about bad roads; don't
ask me about the army and security; don't ask me about hospitals, ask
me nothing on kondoism and nothing on rebels attacking the country."
There was no question forthcoming. This little reminiscence came back
to us yesterday, courtesy of a story from hundreds of miles away in
Somalia. Daily Monitor told a story of a soldier who was reportedly
reprimanded after he asked the First Son Brig Muhoozi Kainerugaba what
turned out to be a disconcerting question.
Brig Muhoozi, the head of the Special Forces Command, was inspecting
Uganda troops now part of the United Nations-backed African Union
Mission in Somalia (Amisom). It is reported that as part of his
interaction, Muhoozi asked the soldiers to ask any questions of interest
to them.
But when Captain Moses Asiimwe asked how the army's promotional
system worked to keep some people on one rank for long while others are
quickly promoted, Muhoozi was unimpressed. He reportedly retorted that
Asiimwe was using a wrong forum to ask for a promotion.
Asiimwe, it was reported, has since been placed under custody.
Obviously the specific reasons for the disciplinary action against the
soldier may not be related to his question; but the question he raised
is pertinent to many men and women who put their lives in danger to
serve this country.
Brig Muhoozi has been in the eye of the storm because of what many
see as his fast promotion. But rather than get upset by such an innocent
question, Muhoozi should have provided some answers.
He could have explained how the system works or promised to take up
the matter with the relevant authorities. Otherwise, the army should
warn soldiers never to ask about such sensitive issues as promotions in
the army.