Attack on Tumukunde: We are all vulnerable

Retired Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde, Uganda’s former domestic spymaster, was on Tuesday shot at and injured in the left leg. Preliminary investigation shows a junior officer commanded the operation and another more subordinate soldier aimed at the 3-star general.

There had been an affray at an election in Fort Portal, Kabarole District, and Gen Tumukunde’s son was one of three youth parliamentary candidates for western Uganda. And in action were elements of the Special Forces, Uganda Police Force and Military Police.

The government, like it has done during previous polls, last year spurned calls by stakeholders to disengage the army and a plethora of other security outfits from manning election security.

The ruling NRM party secretary-general instead startled the country by warning that anyone protesting over elections would be shot. Two weeks to last month’s vote, which incumbent President Yoweri Museveni won but whose results the Opposition rejected, Jinja deputy Resident District Commissioner said the army and police were ready to shoot anyone who causes “confusion” at voting.
Neither official has been sanctioned for these egregious utterances.

It is fateful that on Tuesday, Lt General Tumukunde, a decorated bush-war hero and an anti-Opposition juggernaut during the presidential campaigns, became a victim. Not only did he fail to secure a win for his son, but also suffered physical damage in the resulting brawl.

No Ugandan, powerful or feeble, should gloat over particularly political violence against dissenters. When laws apply selectively, it breeds impunity and exposes all citizens to the same hazard — of injustice.

We commiserate with and honour the sacrifice of the senior UPDF officer, who took a disabling bullet during the NRA guerilla war, so that his effort and that of compatriots would afford us all a fair, just nation.

His predicament is, therefore, such a heart-break for citizens who pride in peace and order. Tuesday’s incident signals that should we continue to militarise our politics, even the mightiest could be vulnerable and macho politicking has limit.