Uganda military court convicts regime loyalist on charges of illegal possession of firearms

Kampala, Uganda (PANA) – A man who, until two years ago, was a leading enforcer for the regime in Kampala has been convicted by the military court on charges of illegal possession of firearms.

 

Abudalla Kitatta, 37, gained notoriety as he enjoyed a rare closeness to Gen Kale Kayihura, who for over 12 years was the Inspector General of Police.

 

Kayihura, who fought in the war that brought Yoweri Museveni to power in 1986, used his office as police boss between September 2005 to March 2018 to reign in Museveni’s opponents, earning himself the pseudonym “Gen Teargas”.

 

He deployed Kitatta, a youthful man of bravado with limited formal schooling, to organise youth to counter Museveni’s opponents who intended to demonstrate in the city and other areas.

 

In August 2016, opposition players who were aggrieved with Gen Kayihura’s orders to block their meetings took him to court. Court responded by summoning Kayihura, who at the time was larger-than-life, perhaps only second to Museveni in terms of importance in the country.

 

On the appointed date, Gen Kayihura was supposed to appear in court, goons mobilised by Kitatta laid siege on the court, taking the magistrate, lawyers and other people hostage.

 

The ordeal went on for hours and some people were hurt in the scuffle. The attackers wondered how Kayihura would be summoned by a court of law in Uganda.  

 

Things turned when Kayihura was sacked as police boss in March 2018, and he was eventually charged in court with cases relating to espionage in connection with Rwanda.

 

Gen Kayihura has Rwandese blood and has a Rwandese wife and is said to enjoy warm relations with the leadership of Rwanda.

 

As tensions between Uganda and Rwanda grew, it perhaps became increasingly difficult for Gen Kayihura to be trusted in Kampala.

 

Gen Kayihura was charged alongside a number of senior policemen with whom he served, and their charges are still pending in the military court. He and some of his co-accused are currently out on bail.

 

After Gen Kayihura was sacked and charged in the military court, Kitatta’s turn also came. His dreaded offices at the outskirts of Kampala were stormed by the military.

 

He was arrested and the military said that he had been found with a golden pistol and a high caliber gun for which he had no documentation.

 

Kitatta insisted during the trial that he got the guns from the police, for which he did work, but the military court was not persuaded.

 

Apart from leading a paramilitary group that purported to lead commercial motorcycle riders, Kitatta is also a chairman of the ruling party in a division in Kampala. He also vigorously campaigned for Museveni in the past three elections and during the drive to remove the 75-year cap for presidential candidates. None of that would save him, however.

 

He will find out tomorrow what punishment he will serve for his crimes. He faces a maximum of ten years in jail.

-0- PANA EM/VAO  13May2019