Kazini Links Besigye To PRA Rebel Group

By Grace MatsikoThe Army Commander, Maj. Gen. James Kazini, has named former presidential candidate Col. Kizza Besigye as one of the commanders of a new rebel group, People’s Redemption Army (PRA), linked to renegade UPDF officers.Kazini, while addressing army officers, diplomats and Members of Parliament at the launch of the Uganda Defence Review Programme at the Uganda International Conference yesterday, listed PRA as one of the security threats to the country.State minister for defence Ruth Nankabirwa said the review programme would bring to reality the vision of President Yoweri Museveni to create a professional, affordable, efficient and accountable army.“Now we hear of Peoples’ Redemption Army under Besigye, Kyakabale and Mande being supported by yet to be known neighbouring states of ours,” said Kazini who used a lot of military communication language of ‘Alpha, Bravo and Charlie’. Col. Samson Mande and Lt. Col. Anthony Kyakabale fled Uganda for Rwanda, citing political harassment. The two declared war against the government of Uganda but were immediately barred by Rwanda, their host from making such statements. President Museveni recently told MPs that Besigye had links with rebel leader Joseph Kony.Kazini said foreign strategic interests on the River Nile by the states with whom Uganda shares it, constitutes a threat and challenge to the UPDF. “Note that all these countries desire to have control of the source of the Nile and therefore would wish to control Uganda. That’s why there are Egyptians and Sudanese representatives all the time at the Nile Source,” Kazini said. He used slides showing tanks, fighter jets and recoilless guns to illustrate the state of the army. He said, “the positioning of Uganda in the Great Lakes Region militarily has had another challenge.Every state in the region looks at Uganda as a threat.”He said lack of skilled personnel and equipment to manage records has led to corruption and creation of “ghost” soldiers in the army. He said fraudulent acts are “created by conscious and unconscious enemies within the army due to lack of patriotism and other personal interests.” The General said lack of training, transport, housing, health and schools for soldiers’ children, the AIDS scourge and insurgencies had hindered the modernisation of the army.Nankabirwa said external auditors will now audit the Ministry of Defence classified expenditure as part of the review process.Ends