A Reflection on Real Security for Uganda

On 1 March 2007, President Museveni's Black Mamba squad raided the Ugandan High Court in Kampala. The Black Mamba is the sinister heavily armed anti-terrorism division of Ugandan government security. They are cloaked in secrecy and take orders from the President. During the raid 25 Black Mamba members and 20 prison officers forcibly rearrested five People's Redemption Army (PRA) suspects who had just been released on bail after being charged with treason and terrorism. The Human Rights Network in Uganda states that the Black Mamba 'unleashed brutal violence against the suspects' and their lawyers, leaving one lawyer 'bleeding after he attempted to intervene in the unlawful arrest'1. The following day the five suspects were charged with new allegations of murder and presented before a military court. In a display of outrage at the arrests, judges, magistrates and others working at the High Court accused the Government of undermining the independence of the judiciary and went on strike.

This is not the first time the Black Mamba have intimidated the judiciary. The suspects were first arrested in 2003 and held in illegal detention until they were released on bail in 2005. The Black Mamba were at Court to rearrest the suspects as they were bailed and returned them to a maximum security prison. The Ugandan Government uses a military approach to security to intimidate the population and assert its might and power over any possible opposition. It is an example of a government putting its own interests above the true security of its people. True security demands the unswerving respect for human rights standards, the rule of law and the ability of the community to express opinions openly and without fear.

Civilian policing in Uganda is a sad tale of brutal police and army joint operations, direct political interference in policing and militaristic policing units. Policing units include the Black Mamba Special Military Unit, the Joint Anti-Terrorist Task Force, the Members of Kalangala Action Plan, the Violent Crime Crack Unit and the Presidential Protection Unit. These groups – and the force and techniques they use – are undermining any potential to achieve true security for Uganda. As civilian policing is confused with military operations and civilian police are given extended military and counter-terrorism style powers and mandates, the legitimacy of the police is undermined as are the checks upon it. The trust that the community has in its police service, which is essential for good policing, is also damaged. The police are meant to protect and serve the community. In Uganda, the police protect and serve the ruling regime. This has manifested itself recently in the police use of the Media Council to stifle free press, the brutal police response to legitimate protest, and the Government’s use of the military to carry out traditional police functions relating to criminal justice.

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