Kayihura parades two more ADF suspects

By Charles Etukuri

The Inspector General of Police Gen. Kale Kayihura on Friday paraded two more Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) suspects arrested in Tanzania in April together with their boss Jamil Mukulu.

The two, identified only as Matovu and Umar, are believed to be righthand men of Mukulu.

They were paraded before the media in Nalufenya Police station in Jinja where they are being held after being extradited from Tanzania, just like their boss.

Mukulu was extradited last Friday and paraded before the media on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Kayihura congratulated the Muslim community upon completing the Holy Month of Ramadhan.

In a statement, he however regretted the killing of the “young dynamic and inspiring” Muslim leader Sheikh Hassan Kirya during Ramadhan and promised to bring his killers to book.

The police chief said that despite the killings which started in 2012 – and have seen nine Muslim clerics killed since – the country had been gifted during the holy month by the arrest and extradition of Jamil Mukulu, who is accused of masterminding some of the murders.

The IGP paid tribute to all those that have been killed “rejecting” and “preaching against evil forces” in the country.

 

Here is Kayihura’s missive in full:

MESSAGE ON EID IL FITRI
 

This is to wish the Muslim community happy EID EL FITRI and to congratulate you for completing the holy month of Ramadhan.

Tragically, during the holy month of Ramadhan, we lost a young dynamic, inspiring Muslim leader and patriot, Sheikh Hassan Kirya, by an assassin’s bullet in Bweyogerere. This cowardly murder followed earlier cowardly killings of Muslim leaders especially since 2012 in different parts of the country as well as other leaders; Joan Kagezi, Tito Okware, police and other security personnel.

No doubt, they were killed either because they rejected and even preached against evil forces (Authors of Bloodshed of Innocents) or because they were committed and effectively worked (e.g. Joan Kagezi) to bring to justice the cowardly criminals, or worked for peace in our country. We pay tribute to them. We honour and celebrate their memory as heroes of our country and humanity.

At the same time, however, we are gratified that during the holy month of Ramathan, (I believe to console the country) Allah gave us a gift. The extradition to Uganda of Jamil Mukulu, the infamous leader of the terrorist organization, Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and two other ADF leaders, Matovu and Umar, after their arrest and detention in Tanzania. This is a very significant victory for the people of Uganda, the East African region and beyond, in our fight against terrorism.

This achievement is the latest in a string of victories we have registered against ADF, (which was decisively defeated militarily long time ago) and allied elements especially since December, 2014, after the murders of Sheikh Ductoor Muwaya and Sheikh Bahiiga.

We have broken up and disrupted ADF criminal gangs in Eastern Uganda, Central and Western regions. We have arrested and detained over 40 suspected killers and their collaborators including confessed killers. They are facing charges of murder, terrorism and crimes against humanity. The hunt for other cowardly criminals still at large continues.

We take this opportunity to reassure the Muslim community and the whole country that we are winning the fight against these organized gangs of criminals. Yes, we can’t guarantee that there will be no incident where we may lose innocent lives in this fight. However, the security forces are working 24 hours, 7 days a week, to ensure you are safe and secure. There is no reason for panic or fear. Instead we ask for your vigilance and active participation in this fight. When you get threatening messages on your phones report to the police promptly. The only way we can avenge our fallen heroes is to be more vigilant, fearless, resolved to rid our country of evil elements and forces of darkness.

Without a doubt, the martyrdom of our fallen heroes shall not be in vain.




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