Ever since the publication of my article, “Otunnu must not lead UPC,” (Daily Monitor), I have been the subject of attacks by Olara Otunnu supporters who view their candidate as a great intellectual. They have persistently challenged me to take on Otunnu at an intellectual level.

I have also constantly told them I am not afraid to take him up at that level. The only problem is that the man has not written on Uganda. That makes it difficult to argue with him. This hitch was removed when Otunnu published an article, “Ugandans must enter the trenches and lead the way” in The Independent of February 16, 2010. The article is Otunnu’s reflection on what he can do to bring the international community to help the Ugandan opposition.

The first thing which struck me in the article is his statement: “In July last year, I began to think of how to engage the international community. I felt that the efforts to date have been as though someone has been hammering a wall with a blunt instrument which does not work.”
I found this statement very curious. Is Otunnu telling us that up to last July, he had not thought of engaging the intentional community in solving the Museveni problem all these years? And this is a man who is being sold to us because of his great foreign relations potential!
Then he goes on to talk about doing rounds with his contacts in Washington DC where he says he “found there was a layer of disinformation, ignorance and misinformation.” Exactly what else did this guru of foreign affairs expect among US Senators and Congressmen/women?
First of all Americans in general are ignorant about the rest of the world. Otunnu should have known this. As a superpower and an economy which is virtually self-sufficient, they have very little need to know about the rest of the world.

Further, Africa, leave alone Uganda for the time being, is very low on the priorities of the U.S. Apart from South Africa and Egypt, there is hardly any economic exchange with Africa.
This is not to say the US does not meddle in the affairs of Uganda. But US policy towards Uganda is not handled by the Senate or the House of Representatives. It is usually handled in the office of the Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, the CIA and Defence Intelligence.

These three arms of the US government have for a long time viewed Museveni as perhaps the most useful foreign policy tool they have ever had in Africa.
The first time Museveni proved pivotal to U.S. imperial interests was when Britain and the US wanted to clip the wings of France by removing President Habyarimana from power in Rwanda. With the use of Museveni, the US and Britain got rid of Habyarimana for the cheap.
The next time Museveni was useful to the US was in the removal of Mobutu. Contrary to appearances, the removal of Mobutu was not done by the people of Zaire as it has often been portrayed. It was the work of the US which had reached a point of needing him to be removed.
This is the context in which we have been operating.

This is what made what Otunnu describes as “the efforts to date have been as though someone has been hammering a wall with a blunt instrument which does not work.”
It is naive of Otunnu to think that we simply lacked sophistication. He needs to realise that when it comes to the vital interest of imperialism, the human rights of Ugandans automatically take a secondary position. He should learn further that both Britain and the US are not guided by sentiments like friendship made at school or university. They are guided by their geopolitical strategic interests

Otunnu himself once told me how he talked over and over to his university roommate, Tony Blair about Uganda and nothing happened. He told me that it was only after Blair left office that Blair told him that Otunnu had been right. It seems Otunnu never quite understood that.
Otunnu also glibly writes: “I thought the administration generally, although the Obama administration is more complicated, the Clinton and Bush administration were more sympathetic.” What sympathy is he talking about? It is the two administrations--that of Clinton and Bush-- who were deeply in bed with Yoweri Museveni.

Those who have been asking me to take on Otunnu should realise that he is what Chairman Mao Tsetung used to call a paper tiger. It may look menacing, but when you “pierce” it, you will find it is hollow.
Yoga Adhola is a former Editor-in-Chief of The People and a leading ideologue of the UPC.

Comments (32)

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Paper Tiger Otunnu can remove Paper Tiger M7
written by Jude, March 17, 2010

I am one of those who is 100% sure that with Buganda out of bed with M7the only dudes left to keep him from crumbling to the ground is those who fund him, the west.
As per today, the only person who seems to understand this and willing to engage those who are keeping M7 around is Otunnu. Well Mr Adhola, you actually do not need a real tiger to remove a paper tiger like M7.One paper tiger Otunnu is just good enough to remove another paper tiger M7.Only difference, Otunnu gives us some hope, right now we are hopeless

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...
written by Okello, March 17, 2010

Do you Olara Otunnu , Kizza Besigye and Mao will not defeat M7 He is so confiscated and has tricks. But this time he is going to use them all and defeat them at ago. Beisgye wants to be apresident, Mao, Otunnu and more again Bidandi and Muntu. If one is not selected some will go as individuals.because their politics are not of solving Uganda's problems but merely they are looking for jobs and hatred to the president. It is amazing if Olara truely wants Museveni to face ICC what about him who supported Kony with Logistics.

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Narcissistic Olara padding his resume as he kills UPC twice
written by Ocheto, March 17, 2010

Olara and the worthless twin Okellos killed UPC in 1985, now 25 years later, in 2010, they have come back to kill it twice. It is creepy. United Nations, inconsequential junior Under Secretaries are a dime dozen. Only in Uganda is this being billed and over-sold as a vaunted experience. Besides Olara has never held any elected office. University student leadership ? And ambassadorships are political oppointments that are usually token awards for political support, essentially thank-you's. Politically they count as much as political aides (or miluka chiefs) serving at the pleasure of the President. Most of these wannabe presidents are narcissists engaged in resume padding.

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Narcissistic Olara padding his resume as he kills UPC twice
written by Ben, March 17, 2010

Ocheto,

Olara does not need to padd his resume, he is actually taking a big pay cut buy running for prsident of UPC or of Uganda. Secondly it's not about have political office experience, other wise you would never have new people in position of leadership. Look at what experience has gotten us; corruption, dictatorship and a run-down economy.

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Calling Olara inexperienced is kind: Olara is a TRAITOR
written by Ocheto, March 17, 2010

Olara does not only have no experience he has a lot of political baggage. Ben, people like you who don't want to address the question of how Uganda got where it is now are delusional. Was it just an accident of history? Having the Olaras re-lead the party they destroyed is betraying UPC twice. What is he doing dancing on Obotes/UPC's grave ? Olara is no different from the current tyrants. He, Mu7 and ther socalled UNLF liberators did it before: after Amin was removed. Hes one of perpetrators, so how could he possibly be the hero at the same time ? He is a little known former UN under secretary, out of job, promising falsehoods to Ugandans who are desparate for meaningful change. People who never learn from history are condemn to repeat it.

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Without Bias Otunnu is the best person Uganda needs
written by OJA, March 18, 2010

I think the author of the above article is biased towards Otunnu. He hasn't proved anything more than any deeply intellectual soul should do. He is right though to note that the major US policy in Africa has been handled by the assistant secretary for African affairs. But I must say that Otunnu was absolutely right to go to the root, I mean to talk face to face with members of the US senate and the house of congress. In an attempt to solve any problem I believe more options should be used. Just like peace came to northern Uganda thru peace negotiations rather than military option which for years hadn't worked. So those who accuse Otunnu of being paper tiger or traitor actually manifest their mediocrity of thought.

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Ugandans are in slumberland
written by JKKamara, March 18, 2010

I wonder when Ugandans will wake up from the deep slumberland! Todate, tyou are deraming of salvation from the failed diplomat, Mr. Otunu who is out of touch and looks to the west for Uganda's solutions, what an Illusion!

Do you ever ask your selves how Mr. Otunu left the UN, why his contract was never renewed? For those in the loop, Mr. Otunu failed his duties, the UN could not renew his contract. All was not glossy during his tenure at the UN, the records are available to verify. When I think of this gentleman's failure at the UN and see how he is selling himself to lead Uganda, I shudder!

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Adhola is right
written by seki, March 18, 2010

Yes. Otunnu is an opportunist. He did not care about the children of northern Uganda when Kony was abducting them. He did not care about the children that Kony turned into wives, when he was UN undersecretary general for children. Otunnu has worked through his supporters to out Adhola as secretary for Fronasa, as though Fronasa in Tanzania was something bad. Fronasa fought Amin from Tanzania. I think UPC should be left to the Acholis now that Kony is defeated. Otunnu also accused UPDF of raping women in the north and infecting them with Aids. He now seeks to be commander in chief of these guys. How naive. Otunnu go and search for 'wife' in Mucwini. You have nothing to offer Ugandans. You are a dreamer!

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How peace came to northern Uganda
written by seki, March 18, 2010

Did you guys not read how the Pentecostal church, through especially "Operation Gideon" co-lead by Julius Oyet and his colleagues dismantled the altars that Kony used for human sacrifice in order to get more evil supernatural powers? When the altars were dismantled by Operation Gideon with security offered by the army, that is when peace returned to northern Uganda. That is why Kony cannot come back to Uganda. Politicians, please wake up. Most of you use evil supernatural to ascend to thrones. There is a wind of change coming where political liars must be ignored. Let the ordinary folks have a say in whom to elect according to their experiences, not someone coming from UN posing as a 'liberator.'

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Olara Otunnu is a hypcorite & UPC genocide apologist
written by Opolot, March 18, 2010

Why do a few people try to lionize this petty man Otunnu?? This is the man who refused to condemn UPC-Acholi militias for their 1980 genocide in West Nile (crimes that even Otema Allimadi condemned) and the UPC-Langi-Acholi militias (hiding behind UNLA uniform) for their 1981-85 genocide in Luwero. He then selectively condemned the NRA "genocide" in Acholi in the 1990s but excused the Kony massacres & abductions of our children!! Olara Otunnu is a consummate liar and hypocrite. Otunnu is far worse than M7. If IPC insists on fronting Olara, we'll return to the NRM and stick with M7, the "devil" we know. Please spare us this genocide spokesman called Otunnu. He makes me want to puke!!

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This is for Opolot and company
written by dwinnie, March 18, 2010

Dear Opolot you have such a lovely name but the words that come out of you do not sound like Opolot at all. Next time try harder. We are tired of your lies, half truths and "crushing business". Soon you shall pay the price with your own blood (you will not be the first bytheway remember Mayombo?). Am also not forgetting the Yola Adhola's out there. Please access this website '>http://www.blackstarnews.com/news/122/ARTICLE/6379/2010-03-18.html

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...
written by St. Balikuddembe, March 19, 2010

Let us stick with Museveni. He is the best president Uganda has had. See all the development in Kampala! There is no other change we should believe in. I say "No change". This is the voice of a saint and obey it. It is a command!

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Not a good start at debate
written by Marvin ya Kuku, March 22, 2010

Yoga Adhola's critic is shocking and not a good start at debate. All it says is Otunnu should know more about US senators not caring about Uganda, his apparently wrong conclusion about the Bush and Clinton presidencies and lastly not getting the ear of Blair years back. My what an intellectual start to the debate. Or am I missing something here. He may be a paper tiger but with such arguments who can blame him

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Not a good start at debate
written by Mo, March 22, 2010

In retoract to the view put forward by Marvin, Yoga Adhola is yet to engage Olara Otunu in a real debate. He writes that Otunu is "hammering the wall with blunt instrument which does not work" . I wonder what does not work here. If at all Otunu is hammering the wall with a blunt instrument which does not work, can Mr Adhola tell this forum how the US Congress came to direct Obama's administration to tightly watch Uganda's preparation for 2011 elections ( http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/...index.html). Honestly, Otunu must have done something to galvanise the US Congress into action.

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Let us stick with Museveni
written by Mo, March 22, 2010

St Balikudembe seems to be sleeping with Museveni in the same bed on this one! One would agree that Museveni has brought development in Kampala but this does not necessarily mean the entire Uganda. It looks like St Balikudembe has not moved around the country (uganda) yet to gauge and measure the 'development' that Museveni has brought in the country in the 24 years he has been in power. One does not have to go far away from Kampala to look at one - just one example of a static if not declined development - Jinja.

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Let us stick with Museveni
written by Mo, March 22, 2010

Continued from above---

One needs to have a good look at the Jinja of UPC days and compare it with the Jinja of NRM days. Unfortunately, the likes of St Balikudembe look at development of the country in terms of one City (Kampala) only. What a good sampling technique! And by the way, most of the developments you see in Kampala are owned and run by the likes of St Balikudembe. You have to sleep in the same bed with Museveni in order to own and be protected from the loots of the tax payers money - corruption! This is what Museveni has done very well for Ugandans.

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Let us vote Museveni
written by Mo, March 22, 2010

Continued form above ---

Otunu may not be the right person to lead UPC in particular and Uganda generally, however, I would rather have him in the absence of Dr Kiza, Mugisha Muntu and Mao. Otunu certainly has key leadership skills to be the president of Uganda, some of these skills have already been tested at the highest management level of the UN.

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UPC deserves him !
written by Kent Mawa, March 23, 2010

I come from Westnile and I still remember what UPC did after Amin was overthrown .

Now UPC is headed by an either impotent man or a queer who also helped to kill its evi man , OBOTE . Finally , the Devil is the boss of Hell . These 2 always match .

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"we will crush Otunu" - Tinyefuza
written by Mo, March 23, 2010

I struggle to understand Tinyefuza's bush war reationale. If Tinyefuza, a whole bush war general can openly tell Otunu that "we will crush you", then he has learn nothing and forgotten nothing from his bush war experience. Sadly, this is a man who has a law background and the cordinator of security intelligence in the the whole of Uganda (see the blackstar web link posted by dwinnie). To utter such words to Otunu, Tinyefuza is telling Ugandans that he and his group were the ones behind killngs in Luwero triangle during that war.

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who needs who more
written by andrew, March 24, 2010

i dont actually like the idea of olara leading upc bt to be sincere he is the best there was amoung the alternatives on the table..he as been at the highest level,educated,mature and with alot of experience in leadership.if olara can aviod the usual petty divisions,cliques,sabotage at uganda house then we can see upc taking shape for the future.i think upc needs otunnu more than otunnu needs upc. so lets give him abreak and see wat he can bring about

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Very dressy !
written by Juma Kato, March 24, 2010

The only impressive thing about Otunnu is his attire . He would look even better in a gomesi .

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...
written by xxx, March 24, 2010

Juma,you never stop making me laugh.heheheheheh....
Do you remember the njabala he took when the buganda youth were hot on his heels????

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Otunnu heed to Betty Kamya's Advice
written by William, March 28, 2010

Betty Kamya's advice to Dr. Olara Otunnu in the Monitor is worthy taking. Why Luwero only? Surely Luwero got more atrocities than other places but that should not leave out other wheres where similar atrocities were commited.

at the end of it, when all region/area where these acts were commited, they point to UPC, the gorvnment in power then and our good Dr, will be found guilty on befalf of his party UPC.

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When did Otunu switch to UPC
written by rehema, April 08, 2010

Look below at the list of delegates to the March 1979 Moshi conference. You will see that Mr Olara Otunnu attended as a UFU delegate. The UFU later became UFM. When did he cross to UPC?
http://ugandansatheart.wordpress.com/2010/04/08/list-of-delegates-to-the-march-1979-moshi-conference/

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WHY IS OLARA OTUNNU UTTERLY SILENT ON UPC/UNLA MASSACRES IN WEST NILE?
written by rehema, April 08, 2010

We have heard Mr Olara Otunnu telling us that he wants an inquiry into the murders in Luwero. Of course we know that when he crossed from UFM to UPC he secured himself a job at the UN and spent most of his time whitewashing the macabre acts of UNLA/UPC. Now he wants to save face!
What is intriguing is his utter silence on the terror that was visited on the people of West Nile throughout the Obote II government.
http://ugandansatheart.wordpress.com/2010/04/08/why-is-olara-otunnu-utterly-silent-on-upcunla-massacres-in-west-nile/

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Otunnu should speak about UNLA massacres
written by seki, April 27, 2010

To be fair to a dead relative, the Acholi in UNLA did a lot of massacre in northern Uganda. This relative was killed in his sister's house in Gulu in cold blood, because he was a Madi, and sister was married to an Acholi. There was no trial, nothing, he was only killed in cold blood. His murderers were never tried. His sister and her husband had to bury him in their compound. The grave is the reminder of UNLA murder even though Otunnu is now shouting loudes about Luwero, where it is well known the UNLA massacred civilians. Please forget Otunnu, forget UPC, NRM or UPDF is more transparent, more humane.

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Girly dresses of Otunnu
written by seki, April 27, 2010

Remember what Governor Arnold Swazneggar said about the "Girly Men." In California there were T-Shirts about the Girly Men. I think we are beginning to have "Girly Men" in Uganda. Let's make T-Shirts of "Girly Men" in Uganda.

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Forget upc
written by seki, May 06, 2010

Guys, UPC itself is a paper tiger to NRM. Why occupy our minds with this nonsense. There was a time in Kampala when a mad man was spotted driving a taxi. Please check the mental capability of both Otunnu and Adhola. They have accused each other of being 'paper tiger' and 'toilet paper' tiger respectively. Adhola talks of being conservative, yet left wing UPC. What is all this? A lot of bulls**t! UPC can never win. Why fight over the 'ideology' or who overthrew Obote? What will it achieve. Let us stop wasting time on these dead parties. First of all the rural people are the ones to decide, not Otunnu or Adhola. Both of them are failures and dreamers. Do not be deceived by these two disgruntled people.

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My Story of UNLA
written by Senga, May 06, 2010

I was working in Kampala. One day walking through Akii Bua street, I met drunken soldiers of UNLA. One of them asked me to go and kiss him. When I continued walking one of them started coking a gun about two metres from my back. I ran into an Enguli den. The woman there hid me under her bed covered with bedspread. The soldier came to ask her if she saw a girl running there. The woman gave him a firm no. The fooled the soldier and his friends went away. The woman then told me to come out and run toward present day Sheraton hotel. UNLA was synonymous with UPC. Is this the UPC trying to stamp feet again in Uganda? Give me a break. Send these thugs away once and for all. Thank you.

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...
written by Kara, May 13, 2010

Adhola wants Akena for the moment. It is as if he is making a monarchy. But wait a minute. He too was ambitious and expected Obote to bequeath him the UPC leadership. Unfortunately, he died suddenly. Now that he cannot have this leadership he would rather have David Anyoti. He will do anything for Anyoti. Exasperated, not able to rule, a political career not taking off, Adhola acts as an insider to character assassinate former colleagues, just about everybody. This is the result of having working for UPC for nothing for over 25 years. Call it quits now!

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Ignorance about our history will Kill our Nation
written by Owen Bernard, May 16, 2010

Here are few hints for all those who linked UPC to UNLA. The history shall never be rewritten again to reverse the truth, who were the military commission in 1980s? Were they all Acholis and Langis? please give a break to this sectarian debates, what Ugandan need is good governance not one breed corruptions, nepotisms, and creating cleaques to manage Ugandans' affairs. How blind are Ugandans? Dr. Olara has sacrified to remove this devilist leader Mu7, let support him. I do not see charismatic leaderships in other leaders comining up against Museveni. Congratulations to Otunu for being open and bringing to light butch of killers in NRM government. Go back to Uganda history, and guage at what Olara offered his life to safe Ugandan from Amin terror? and now another sacrifies to remove Mu7.

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enough of your crap
written by Loopy, May 16, 2010

Why should anyone be surprised about the quality of debate on Ugandan issues we see on the web? This is a direct reflection of a failure of the education system under the National Resistance Movement (NRM). They have completely destroyed the education system. Ugandan history under NRM is no longer based on facts but history as seen through NRM lenses which filters out truth but lets lies and propaganda pass as facts. It is about time Banyankole fanatics and crack heads stopped scapegoating Acholi's or Langi's for their immense destruction of Uganda and neighboring states.

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