UGANDA UPDATE: RIOTS CONTINUE FOR SECOND DAY IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L KAMPALA 001046 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/11/2019 TAGS: PINS PGOV ASEC PHUM PINR UG SUBJECT: UGANDA UPDATE: RIOTS CONTINUE FOR SECOND DAY IN KAMPALA REF: KAMPALA 01044 Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief Aaron Sampson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Violent demonstrations in Kampala resumed on September 11 with reports of sporadic gunfire, burning tires, and looting. The Buganda Kingdom's Attorney General told the Mission that the King may indeed postpone tomorrow's visit to Kayunga to avoid further loss of life and property. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Most of the rioting today occurred in downtown Kampala and the western side of city with some disturbances on the roads leading north, west, and south of the city. The Mission received credible reports of three fatalities in addition to yesterday's count of 3 to 10 people killed. A well-connected Buganda official told the Mission that one of those killed this morning included a woman shot by police at the gates to the Buganda Kingdom's headquarters on Mengo hill. ¶3. (SBU) The Government of Uganda (GOU) remains steadfast in its refusal to allow the King of Buganda to tour Kayunga district north of Kampala (see reftel for background). Inspector General of Police (IGP) Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura issued a statement on September 11 which attributed the rioting of the day before to "hooliganism." Kayihura also attributed the violence to "inflammatory and sectarian broadcasts" from the Buganda Kingdom-owned CBC radio station, which he said was systematically inciting "listeners to cause chaos and destruction where ever they could." The statement ended with a proclamation that the police would not allow the Buganda King to visit Kayunga on September 12 due to security concerns. A separate statement from Minister of Information and National Guidance, Kabakumba Masiko, warned the Buganda not to challenge the political authority of the GOU through "extra-constitutional" means and said the GOU would not tolerate lawlessness or hooliganism. Masiko then appealed for calm as "consultations are close to being concluded." ¶4. (C) An ethnic Baganda Member of Parliament, Theodore Sekikubo, said he and other ruling party members of the Buganda Parliamentary Caucus met with President Museveni on September 10 to request he allow the King to visit Kayunga. Sekikubo said Museveni rejected this advice, and instead criticized the Baganda as ungrateful for Museveni's support. Museveni blamed external funding and opposition parties for the riots and was adamant that the King would not be allowed to visit Kayunga. Sekikubo's description of Museveni's position during the closed meeting with ethnic Baganda MPs mirrored Museveni's public statement broadcast later that evening. In his public address, Museveni said the National Resistance Movement (NRM) "had fought many battles and we shall win this one also." Sekikubo said it would be better for the King not to travel in order to avoid a potentially volatile showdown with security forces. ¶5. (C) The Buganda Kingdom's Attorney General, Apollo Makubuya, told the Mission on September 11 that the King may indeed delay the visit to avoid further loss of life and property. A relative of the Buganda Queen told the Mission that First Lady Janet Museveni and the Queen were preparing to meet, perhaps as early as this afternoon, to resolve the impasse separating their husbands. However, if the King decides to move ahead with his visit to Kayunga tomorrow, more confrontation is likely. LANIER