Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09KAMPALA1044
2009-09-11 11:02:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kampala
Cable title:  

VIOLENT RIOTS IN KAMPALA AFTER MUSEVENI SNUBS

Tags:  PINS PGOV PHUM KDEM PINR ASEC UG 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKM #1044/01 2541102
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 111102Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 1758
C O N F I D E N T I A L KAMPALA 001044 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/11/2019
TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM KDEM PINR ASEC UG
SUBJECT: VIOLENT RIOTS IN KAMPALA AFTER MUSEVENI SNUBS
BUGANDA KING

REF: KAMPALA 00946

Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief Aaron Sampson for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L KAMPALA 001044

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/11/2019
TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM KDEM PINR ASEC UG
SUBJECT: VIOLENT RIOTS IN KAMPALA AFTER MUSEVENI SNUBS
BUGANDA KING

REF: KAMPALA 00946

Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief Aaron Sampson for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Riots in Kampala erupted on September 10
after Ugandan security forces prevented senior Buganda
Kingdom officials from traveling to the town of Kayunga less
than 50 miles north of Kampala. Police, military and the
notorious "Black Mamba" squads used tear gas and live bullets
to disperse protesters. Estimates of those killed varied
from three to twelve. Kayunga is historically part of the
Buganda Kingdom, but President Museveni recently directed the
Buganda King not to travel there after an ethnic minority in
Kayunga rejected the Kingdom's authority. King Ronald
Muwenda Mutebi II, also known as the "Kabaka", is scheduled
to visit Kayunga on Saturday, September 12. In a late night
speech to the nation on September 10 President Museveni
justified his reason for blocking the King's travel. The
Buganda Kingdom meanwhile has vowed to move forward with the
visit. More unrest is expected over the weekend. These
riots are perhaps the first sign of how such a dangerous
strategy of ethnic divisiveness can backfire. End Summary.

--------------
Riots in Kampala: The Details
--------------


2. (SBU) Police confirm three deaths and 43 injuries from
protests that began in the Kisekka Market neighborhood of
central Kampala and quickly spread to seven nearby Buganda
districts of Wakiso, Mukono, Masaka, Mityana, Luweero, Buikwe
and Mpigi. Rioters lit bonfires on main streets throughout
downtown Kampala and looted several stores, allegedly
targeting Asian national shopkeepers. The police and
military police responded immediately, deploying riot squads,
armored personnel carriers, and paramilitary police known
locally as the "Black mambas". Protesters then attacked
security officers with stones and clubs, and police responded
with tear gas and live ammunition. When the government ran
out of police it reportedly gave weapons to regular traffic
cops. According to the local Daily Monitor newspaper, Deputy
Spokesman for the Kampala Metropolitan Police Henry Kalulu

said the police had arrested 35 suspected demonstrators, and
expected more arrests overnight. As of Thursday evening,
police were also reportedly holding 30 Asian nationals in
protective custody for their own safety. Police confirm
three dead, although local media report that the death toll
may be as high as 10 or 12 people.


3. (SBU) Local schools and businesses closed early Thursday
due to the violence, and public transportation came to a
standstill. With several main roads closed, many people were
forced to walk up to 20 kilometers home. Traffic subsided
late Thursday night, and businesses, schools, and
transportation resumed Friday morning, although some people
stayed home in fear of additional violence. RSO confirms
that all official AMCITs are safe and accounted for.
--------------
Museveni Delivers Inflammatory Speech
--------------


4. (SBU) Museveni stated on the state-owned radio station
Radio Uganda late Thursday evening that he had tried
repeatedly and unsuccessfully to speak with the Kabaka.
Although we have yet to secure a transcript of the speech,
Museveni reiterated his order for the Kabaka not to travel to
Kayunga and warned that he had no intention of backing down.
Museveni also accused the Buganda-run Central Broadcasting
System (CBS) radio station of "demonizing" the President and
the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party. The GOU
closed CBS on September 10 at 5:45, claiming the radio
stations were inciting violence and ethnic hatred. CBS
operates the two most popular radio stations in Uganda. LES
staff claim that "Every Muganda listens to CBS." The
stations are two of approximately 20 Luganda-language radios
operating in the Central and South of Uganda. Other
Luganda-language stations were demonstrating noticeable
self-censorship the morning after CBS's closure. While other
Luganda-language stations were closed for similar reasons in
the past, this is the first time the GOU has closed CBS,
which is the only press outlet for the Kabaka.


5. (C) The Buganda Kingdom's Attorney General reiterated on
late-night radio Thursday that the Baganda are going with
their King to Kayunga. On September 11 a close relative of
the Kabaka told the Embassy that he would be meeting with the
King's security detail later in the day but that he fully
expected the King to be "stubborn" and insist on traveling to
Kayunga. Meanwhile a senior advisor to Museveni told the
Embassy that the Kabaka would not be allowed to travel to
Kayunga and that the visit was off.

--------------
Museveni-Buganda Dispute Background
--------------


6. (SBU) The once close relations between Museveni and the
kingdom have deteriorated since 2007 when the President began
pushing land reform that Buganda leaders claim would undercut
their traditional land tenure. This friction has accelerated
this month with warnings by the GOU that it would prevent the
Buganda King from his annual visit to Kayunga. The police
justified their decision by saying the visit would incite
violence from ethnic Banyala, a very small non-Baganda
minority in the district. The police warning was prompted by
earlier demonstrations by the Banyala against the King's
planned visit. The GOU claims it would allow the King to
visit only if he first sought permission from the Banyala's
traditional leader, who happens to be a Ugandan military
officer. The Buganda leadership has countered that they
should be allowed to visit any area that is recognized in the
Ugandan constitution as a part of their Kingdom. They
further allege that Museveni is attempting to weaken
Buganda's political power by encouraging the Banyala and
other ethnic minorities to separate from the kingdom.


7. (SBU) The GOU amplified Buganda suspicions when it
announced earlier this month that it was replacing the King's
guard force, which was selected by the Baganda but trained by
the Ugandan military, with government selected military
policemen. Buganda leaders fear the move would weaken the
King's security and insert spies within his entourage.
Baganda MPs walked out of the Parliament in protest on
September 9, and police prevented Baganda youth in Kayunga
from preparing for the King's visit, sparking riots there.


--------------
Comment: A Dangerous Strategy
--------------


8. (C) We expect the Buganda King to go to Kayunga with or
without government authorization. The government will likely
try to block his route and more violence is probable.
Widespread unemployment among local youth likely contributed
to the acts of violence and protest. President Museveni's
battle with the Buganda appears to be the latest sign of a
deliberate attempt at ethnic division in order to undermine
opposition support in advance of Uganda's 2011 presidential
election. Museveni's recommendation to reserve specific
elected offices for ethnic Banyoro in western Uganda provided
another example (reftel). Still another occurred on August
30 when Museveni recognized for the first time the Kingdom of
Rwenzururu in southwest Uganda. This reversal appeared
calculated to undercut potential presidential rival Kizza
Besigye, who captured one of the two districts that compose
the Rwenzururu Kingdom during the 2006 elections.


9. (C) The proliferation of new administrative districts
also appears to be a part of Museveni's early electoral
manipulations. Seven more districts were added in July and
another eight are scheduled to come on line in 2010 despite
opposition demands to halt the process until after the 2011
elections. On September 8, Presidential Advisor Moses
Byaruhanga told the Mission that Museveni's ultimate goal was
to give each ethnic constituency its own district so that
primary school children can speak their native local
languages at school and local officials can conduct local
government business in their own local languages.


10. (C) Before the riots began on September 10 one ethnic
Baganda Member of Parliament told the Embassy that Museveni
was targeting the Buganda Kingdom for its supposed ties to
opposition parties like Besigye's Forum for Democratic Change
(FDC) and the Uganda People's Congress (UPC). Whether
Museveni provoked a fight with the Buganda for this or some
other as yet unseen reason, a strategy based on ethnic
division will put Uganda on a dangerous and potentially
explosive path as it heads into the 2011 presidential
election campaign.
LANIER