 The standoff between the central government and Mengo seems to have taken a new twist with Muslim leaders in the country warning government security agencies and certain sections of the press against fabricating stories against Prince Kassim Nakibinge. This comes in the wake of strange revelations by the Red Pepper tabloid which reported that Prince Nakibinge was behind the recent Buganda riots that shook the Museveni administration.
The Red Pepper reports seem to reinforce Mr. Museveni's convictions that foreign forces were responsible for destabilising Uganda, acting through the Buganda Kingdom.The Pepper alleged that Prince Nakibinge, also an executive officer at the Libyan-owned Tropical Africa Bank, acted as a conduit between Mengo and Col. Muammar Gaddafi in organizing a nation-wide dissent against President Museveni that left 20 people dead, over 200 injured dead and an estimated 1000 arrests. Speaking to thousands of Muslim faithful who converged at Nakivubo stadium on the 20/09/2009, Amir Umma Sheikh Abdul Ssekimpi, of the pro-Kayongo faction cautioned certain sections of the media against mudslinging the Prince who is widely respected by Muslims in Uganda. Other muslim leaders in the country went as far as warning the government security agencies against making such baseless allegations.
Sheikh Ssekimpi also denied comments made earlier on by embattled Mufti Mubajje that the majority of rioters were Muslim youths. Mr. Mubajje while speaking at a dinner hosted for Muslim leaders by President Museveni at the breaking of the fasting season told the president that the majority of the rioters were Muslim youths who had been mobilized by certain sheikhs antagonistic to the Old Kampala-based Mubajje group. At the Idd celebrations, Mr. Mubajje reiterated his commitment to excommunicate all sheikhs under Uganda Muslim Supreme Council who will be found to have had a hand in the riots.
Prince Kassim Nakibinge
Kassim Nakibinge is no ordinary Ugandan and his strong connections to the Libyan government are scene as a threat to the Uganda government, especially in the wake of recent disagreements between President Museveni and Col. Muammar Gaddafi. But important of all is the close relationship between Prince Nakibinge and the Kabaka. Sources close to the royal family have confirmed that Prince Nakibinge is not only a close confidant of the Kabaka, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi; he is a senior adviser to the King.
A Muslim himself, the prince has more significance to Libyan leader Col. Muammar Gaddafi who now seeks to unite Africa through the unity of cultural forces on the continent. For example, he has come out strongly against the sale of Muslim properties by the government-supported Mufti Mubajje and city tycoon Hassan Basajjabalaba. Nakibinge is also the de facto- head of the Kibuli faction that recognizes Sheikh Zubairi Kayongo as the Supreme Mufti of Uganda. The Kibuli group is also supported by leading opposition politicians who view the current mainstream Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) leadership as an extension of the National Resistance Army (NRM).
Prince Nakibinge lashed out at government security agents and certain sections of the media for manufacturing unfounded stories implicating him in organizing the Buganda riots. Speaking at the annual breaking of the fasting season (Id el Fitri) at his Kibuli home (20/09/09), the usually soft-spoken royal attacked state agents for employing under-hand methods of intelligence which he likened to the speculation of traditional foreseers. In attendance at this annual event was former minister Gen. Moses Ali and NRM Vice chairperson Alhajji Moses Kigongo. The Prince distanced himself from reports that Col. Gaddafi was using him as a conduit to finance political agitation against the NRM through the Mengo government.
In a related development, at least a thousand people have been arrested in the aftermath of the Buganda riots for cases related to their involvement in the riots. This follows reports that the Buganda riots were orchestrated by a foreign government to undermine the Uganda government President Museveni has ordered that terror charges be brought against the suspects of the Buganda riots. It is believed that In Nateete town, a substantial number of youths have been picked from their homes at night for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government through civil disobedience. Nateete was one of the most hit areas in Kampala where a police station and a civilian bus were torched to ashes by angry rioters.
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Its Federal or the bullet!! (1)
