Were we aware of the July ghosts?

PIC: Remember the 1976 Entebbe Raid?

JULY, A MONTH WITH A HISTORICAL TRAIL OF LOCAL DESTRUCTION

Contrary to expectations, Kampala city's seventh anniversary of the twin bombings of 12 July, 2010 passed without any mention of the 76 deaths that occurred.

On that bloody day, giant screens had been mounted for football viewing. Hundreds of white plastic chairs were neatly arranged. At sundown, beer started flowing down throats like the River Nile destined to Egypt. The scent of nyama choma and sausage roast wafted in the air.

To the bereft, the sight of heavily guarded trucks or sound of sirens zooming to and from Luzira Maximum Prison, as the seven suspects are taken to court/prison, memories of the bloody July come alive.

The mental images of human limbs angled in postures not seen in life that were broadcast and published in both local and international media spring to life. Memories are still fresh with the smell of burning; human flesh, nails and hair of football fans with the choice place to go to watch the World Cup being Kyadondo Rugby ground and Ethiopian Village.

Lately, to mark that dreaded July bloodbath, it was tradition for Ugandans to hold candles symbolically and celebrate the 74 lives that were snuffed out

On inspection this year, a memorial laid by President Museveni is the only reminder of the July tragedy. The place is a hive of activity as tents are erected in preparation for prayers. This has been on once a week and will continue for the whole year. 

Besides that, the Bombs Day was overshadowed by the swearing in of a youthful Member of Parliament Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine. This time round, the newly elected policy maker with his jubilant supporters waved placards, ululated and chanted themselves hoarse.

Teso had a fair share of July when 47 lives in Mukura were lost in train wagons. A survivor Gereshom Ekadit told of how he climbed onto bodies to get his nose near a crack to access oxygen. The day was July 11, 1989 at the peak of civil strife, when soldiers accused the residents for hiding rebels.

The buildup to this anticlimax was, when asked for locations of rebels, the response was "mam ajeni" (I don't know) from residents. The catchword by then was Owen ekingok (keep your mouth shut). In addition, the locals nicknamed the Kadogo soldiers "Orugenyi" (a species of tiny fish) because of the child soldiers in the force then. The gunship was nicknamed Sura Mbaya (ugly face).

As a reminder of the July day, talk has it that ghosts still sing at night at the site around where a mass grave is. Some relative confided that they have dreams of their loved ones demanding decent burial or they risk the wrath of the gods.

Lately the effects of climate change, road accidents and poverty are being attributed to the consequences of how they dealt with the victims of the July inferno.

Former president of Uganda Dr. Apollo Milton Obote died in Zambia remembering July 1985 when General Tito Okello Lutwa and Bazilio Okello Olar toppled him.

Memories of that month are still alive among his supporters.

During the mutiny, trucks loaded with army men were destined to northern Uganda in preparation to besiege Kampala City. That is when British broadcaster BBC announced the coup and said the new leaders speak some language which was similar to English.

That July, refrigerators, cookers, television boxes and washing machines were ferried from Kampala to Gulu villages that were not yet connected to electricity. What followed was the birth of notorious Lord Resistance Army (LRA) under Alice Lakwena and later Joseph Kony.

Lives have since been lost, girls abducted and made wives. This spread from northern Uganda to neighboring countries like South Sudan and the Central African Republic (CAR). Some of the officers like Ongwen are on trial in the Hague.

Earlier on, in July 1976, Kenya imposed an oil squeeze, allowing only one of the 80 tanks destined to cross the border coming to Uganda. Coffee exporters had to solicit the army to escort their goods or risk the consequences. That was the time when the economic war declared by Gen. Idi Amin Dada was raging. Shop shelves were lacking goods and most industries had closed. Motorists would queue for fuel for hours on end.

With a boggled mind, the former boxer and self-proclaimed "Conqueror of the British Empire" and Field Marshal Amin went out of his way and invited his Kenyan counterpart elderly Jomo Kenyata for a bout in the boxing ring.

Given a rapid succession of challenges, "Life President" Amin, who used to ride a bicycle to Nakasero or drive a Beatle around town, survived an assassination attempt near Nsambya Police Barracks. Talk had it that he was going to enjoy live music by Afrigo Band in Cape Gaba water shores on Lake Victoria.

July 4 also marked the 41th anniversary of the famed rescue at Entebbe, in which Israeli commandos flew 2,000 miles into the heart of Africa to rescue over 100 Jewish hostages whose Air France flight had been hijacked to Uganda by Palestinian and German terrorists.

This is when a fleet of more than 20 Airforce migs were reduced to ashes. The wounded walls of the old airport are still visible. Many soldiers were killed, including the rescue commander Yonatan Netanyahu and a hostage Dora Block. The operation captured the imagination of military theorists, filmmakers, and ordinary people, and continues to spark spates of retelling and analyses at every significant anniversary.

After that raid, Amin's vulnerability was exposed for his rivals Kikosi Malum, FRONASA and others based in Tanzania to begin armed attacks and political activities till his fall in 1979.

In the same month, Britain which earlier recognized Amin, broke off diplomatic relations with Uganda and the country's image plummeted internationally.

In the future, take heed when the calender flips to July.

Just saying!