On Tuesday December 8, 2009, we received a message from an admitted disgruntled member of Uganda’s dreaded ESO, alleging that, last weekend, Uganda’s president Museveni escapade a plot by foreign insurgents to shoot down his $46m Gulf Stream V executive jet.
Although the source did not specifically identify the foreign insurgents, he refers to them as being “from the region”. Since Kony’s LRA is not foreign, that would leave the Somali Al-Shabab militants as the only possible group with the capacity to scare Museveni. Indeed, in the past, Al-Shabab warned that they would get back at Museveni for sending Uganda soldiers for peacekeeping duties in Somalia.
According to the ESO source, Museveni allegedly learnt about the plot on his way back from the CHOGM meeting in Granada. And, afraid that his enemies in Uganda might find out and try to take advantage, the Ugandan warlord decided to travel commercial. He was in such a hurry that, when British Airways said that they only had economy class seats available, he agreed to take those.
In October 2009, Sheikh Ali Mohamed Hussein, the Al-Shabab commander, announced that his group would attack the capitals of Burundi and Uganda, the two countries supplying troops for the African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia.
In typical warlord style, Mr. Museveni countered next day, telling the local press: “Al-Shabab shall quickly regret such an attack because Uganda knows how to attack those who attack it.” Despite Museveni’s tough talk, Ugandan soldiers continue to frequently die in Somalia, although the numbers are difficult to establish.
As was the case when Uganda invaded the Congo in the 1990’s Museveni UPDF often return the dead troops secretly, and pressure relatives to bury their dead quietly. If the dead has no clear family ties, they are secretly buried in Lusaze, Bulemeezi or Buluri.
Our source also pointed out that Museveni was not amused to find out, in Entebbe, that he failed to get sits in Business or First Class because Uganda officials has taken seats there.