IN SHORT: Did Yoweri Museveni name and order the arrest of 10 people for funding the newly formed Uganda Coalition Forces of Change? No, the president’s spokesperson has dismissed a letter to army intelligence ordering the arrests as fabricated.
Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni has ordered the arrest and court martial of 10 people for funding a rebel group. Or so claims a letter doing the rounds on Facebook.
The letter, supposedly signed by Museveni, begins: “Uganda Coalition Forces of Change is a rebel group led by Frank David Ssemwogerere and it has been operating in Uganda for some time. The criminal workings of the said group have been brought to my attention.”
It then lists 10 names, many of whom seem to be businesspeople.
The letter continues: “The above mentioned people have been sponsoring terrorism through the said rebel group, killing police officers, innocent civilians and stealing guns for some time.
“I therefore direct for the immediate arrest of these criminals (funders) and arraign them before the General Court Martial.”
The letter is addressed to army intelligence and seemingly copied to, among others, the ministers of internal affairs and defence.
According to local news outlets, the newly formed Uganda Coalition Forces of Change rebel group has attacked and killed security and police officers. Its reported goal is to topple Museveni, who has been in office since 1986.
The letter has been posted here, here , here and here. But is it real?
Museveni’s spokesperson dismisses letter
On 11 December the Ugandan station NBS Television posted the letter on Twitter, saying that Faruk Kirunda, a spokesperson for Museveni, had dismissed the letter as fake.
“Deputy Press Secretary to President Museveni, @kirunda_faruk, has dismissed as fake, a letter circulating on social media. The letter calls for the arrest and reprimand of Uganda Coalition Forces of Change funders on the order of President Museveni,” NBS wrote.
On the same day, Kirunda retweeted NBS Television’s Twitter post.
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