‘Panda Gari’ was not started by Museveni or when Museveni was in Obote II government. Panda Gari was started in around March 1981 when Museveni and his 27 chaps had already gone to the Bush. This I know very well.
In a nut shell, ‘Panda Gari’ was a brain child of some security UPC zealots who failed to comprehend the tactics of guerilla warfare. They adopted the late Gen. Pinochet of Chile style of fighting guerillas and armed opposition.
So, when the UFM attacked the Lubiri barracks sometime around March 1981, positioning their Mortars on Lubaga Hill near the Cathedral, in both humiliation mixed with shame and anger, UPC military wing decided to round up inhabitants of Lubaga and Makindye divisions with the hope of antagonising them into submission or scaring away the ‘bandits’, as Obote and company used to refer to the guerillas. Later on, this Panda Gari (translated from the Swahili – Board the vehicle – you can see how difficult Swahili can be acceptable as a National Language in Uganda with such history of terror; we panda gari, towa saa, ka chini, lala chini, piga lisasi etc.) operations spread to other areas in Buganda and later western Uganda (after learning of Museveni’s involvement in guerilla warfare) with the infamous so-called Computer Men holding Computer print lists. it is a dreaded history that shall take long to be forgotten in Uganda, south of the Karuma.
The bus, Mpaawo Atalikaaba, Reg. number 01LA06 was brought into operation shortly after the removal of Bianisa in May 1980, but during that time it was used to ferry UNLA soldiers (mainly of Acholi and Langi origin – a fact that brought about a Radio Katwe terminology for the LA markings in the number plate to be substituted for Langi-Acholi; if you were in Kampala during that time as you claim, then you must have heard this Radio Katwe news) for deployment in the evenings in some selected few areas of Kampala and its environs.
The first round up of human beings that this bus did was that of rowdy soldiers who had refused to stay in barracks’. This is when the UNLF govt under Muwanga and Museveni tried to show some seriousness with rowdy soldiers in Kampala, but as the election time drew closer, things went haywire and this exercise was abandoned. I keep wondering whysome Acholis keep mum on this fact, or it is also an Okello-Apello concoction?
Obote did not build Mulago hospital, like some of you have time and again posted those lies on this forum. Mulago hospital was built by the British Protectorate government before they relinquished power in 1962. Most of the monies that were used to build the hospital were British Taxpayers money. Mulago hospital was officially opened on 16th October, 1962 (one week after independence day) by the Duchess of Kent. Unless if you want to state that Obote is a custodian of the Aldina magic lamp such that he built Mulago hospital in a record period of one week.
Obote’s UPC started playing dirty already in 1964 when it started buying of opposition MPs (Bataringaya was a DP from Ankole and leader of opposition). In fact KY contemplated joining hands with DP to fight UPC but due to the foolish politics of religion by some Baganda of that time, this proved futile until DP was dilapidated of nearly all its members in parliament one by one; by way of crossing over to UPC. Bw’ova ku byange ng’ogenda ku wangatto!
Robert Nviiri
UAH FORUMIST
Comments
I CANNOT ACCEPT LIES ON PANDA GARI ORIGIN
While a Pupil State Attorney, in the Department of Public Prosecutions, I had dealt with Panda Gari victims.
The Ministry of Justice used to take us to one of the Stadiums to interview victims of Panda Gari. Iam glad I participated in freeing captives from the military who had pared them in Panda gari.
It was during the reign of Idi Amin.
I still remember a young man who had been arrested and put on’ panda gari.’ When I interviewed him, he told me he had been on his way to Mulago hospital taking food to his mother. His mother had given birth and his duty was to take food from home to her hospital bed. The young man’s family were not aware of what had happened to him. Idi Amin had not tortured those on Panda gari with Kandoya or beating them. Those in hundreds we saw were not physically abused. The number of these many arrested people was in hundreds. We did not witness Army abusing them in our presence.or before our presence. apart from Panda gari.
They alll sat on the floor of the Stadium as we sat interviewing them, one by one. It could take a whole afternoon..
They had not eaten or had a birth for days. They had a pangeant smell. They were of all ages.and sizes. Majority of them were seemingly innocent As State Athorneys we had recommended their release. Important to know that they had not been beaten by the arresting officials. This was the good work of Francis Ayume and Atminister of justice, who worked with the Military to establish the rule of law.
WHY HAD THEY BEEN ARRESTED?
It was to ascertain their innocence of not being guerrilla Tanzanians. Worse still to confirm that they were not Ugandan Guerrillas in hiding in Tanzania who time and again inflitrated Uganda to kill and attack creating hatred for IDI AMIN.
ATTACKS FROM TANZANIA BY GUERRILLAS
After the overthrow of Dr. Milton Obote by Idi Amin, there was an attack at Mbarara Town, Kakoba Village, Uganda.. Ugand Army Simba Battalion in Mbarara. repulsed the attack. Many had been killed.
At the tim of the attack I was in Mbarara . I had witnessed the mopping up of Kakoba Village attack . I had seen huge machines that burried many dead bodies.
At that time I had a boyfriend Valley Rwaheru. I did not know that he had belonged to the opposition of IDI AMIN. Valley Rwaheru was a Munyankore who was the only child of his mother. A brilliant Engineer The mother was one of thoe occupants at Kakoba Village who had been removed to either Toro or Bunyoro. I had visited her with valley at her home before her removal.
Valley best friend was Museveni and Karuhanga. I came to know Karuhanga but I never was introduced to Museveni. Many times Valley came to see me in Kampala.
Little did I know he was a guerrilal.!! there after I became a Pupil State Attorney and IDI AMIN allocated me Honey Pot Restaurant. on the Main Kampala Road. We were Known as the Honey Pot Girls.. Valley Rwaheru used to come and sit there. I would meet him and give him money at the Restaurant on Kampala Road. He would be wearing a funny hat almost covering his face. I had been surprised that him as an Engineer he had been broke and not working! Ihad asked Museveni about him at state house but had no answer.. WHERE IS TRUTH IF ONE OF THE SEVEN PIONEERS IS BECLOUDED IN DEATH AND SECRECY?.
Later Valley Rwaheru died in an attack at Kyambogo TeachersTraining College. Karuhanga told me that Valley had been followed by enemies in the Movement who knew where he was going. These enemies threw a grenade at him and pretended that the grenade that had killed Valley came from the people he had thrown the grenade at!!.This is when I came to know that he was a guerrilla!
WHERE IS TRUTH IN MUSEVENI WARFARE?
WHAT CAUSED THE DEATH OF VALLEY RWAHERU?
WHAT HAPPENED TO HIS MOTHER?
IS SHE STILL ALIVE IN TORO OR BUNYORO? How can we communicate to her?
HOW CAN WE HAVE A CLOSE Of DEATHS OF THESE EDUCATED SONS OF UGANDA?
DID MUSEVENI MEN HELP VALLEY”S MOTHER AT ALL?
WE NEED A TRUTH COMMISSION.
Valley was one of the Seven that followed or went with Museveni to the Bush
VALLEY RWAHERU’S DEATH MUST BE SOLVED AND CULPRITS BROUGHT TO BOOK!!
Experiences like these show you that it was not only IDI AMIN that caused the death of people. It also shows you that IDI AMIN had reacted with PANDA GARI to arrest Museveni Guerrillas.
As a Pupil State Attorney many times I had released panda Gari captives.
Therefore ,it is a lie to say that Panda Gari started with Museveni.
Christine J. N. Kaluma
Former Senior State Attorney Uganda 1972-1988
IDI AMIN APPOINTEE as Roving Ambassador and Minister Foreign Affairs 1977 forcing me in Exile In Nigeria..
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I think it is despicable to read Ugandans writing in defence of the defenceless activity.
It doesn’t matter when Panda Gari started. To me what is of paramount importance is that this despicable activity still goes in our culture a decade into the 21st century.
What we should be talking about is how to end it. Defending the ongoing human rights abuses been orchestrated now with a notion that they, after all, occured in previous regimes too, is going to the mud.
Progressive Ugandan voices are those that today talk about correcting the ills happening even after this country wrote what was then a celebrated constitution. Progressive Ugandans are those who acknowledge the fact that every regime in our last 50-year history has its fingers dripping with blood of innocent Ugandans. I get shocked to read a Muganda castigate Acholi and Langi for crimes that some criminals in government carried out. To mention Acholi and Langi is sowing seeds of negative tribalism. In other words every Acholi and Lango is castigated in this collective guilt. Likewise it would disgusting for A teso to blame Banyakole for the horrendous human rights violations committed by elements of Museveni’s regime.
Until we learn to recognise that those who sow mayhem are never sent by their kith and kin but act alone through their individual animalistic brutality, this nation will never know peace.
I’m from Teso, never experienced any personal privilege from Obote’s government, neither did my family. Yet when Museveni took over power tribalistic elements in his regime targeted Iteso claiming they had been supporters of Obote! We lost everything and yet I don’t blame Banyakole, a tribe Museveni ascribes to. I blame Museveni’s government.