New light has being shed on the role President Yoweri Museveni played in containing the ethnic undertones and overtures that have characterised discussions over the unfortunate death of Mr Kenneth Akena.
A revelation by former State House intelligence officer Charles Rwomushana on Radio Simba’s flagship Saturday political show, said the Commander-in-Chief of the Uganda Armed Forces Gen Museveni ordered the Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura to go address mourners at the burial of the late Akena in Kitgum District on Wednesday and contain the tribal talk.
He said: “My intelligence source told me the President personally called the police chief and told him to go attend the burial of the Akena to help dismiss rumours that Matthew Kanyamunyu a key suspect in the murder would not be tried in courts of law, if he is connected to the murder and that the family would get justice.”
Akena, a child rights activist, was shot last weekend at Lugogo area and died later at Norvik Hospital in Kampala.
On Museveni’s orders, the IGP also assured the mourners that despite ‘negative’ reports circulating on social media surrounding the death of Akena, investigation into his death are ongoing.
Akena’s relatives led by Aruu County MP Odonga Otto claimed there was a systematic cover up for the murder because Kanyamunyu is a connected Munyankole.
On Monday, a local tabloid Hello reported the incident with the headline “Munyankole Tycoon Shoots Acholi Guy Dead To Impress Babe @ Game Mall.’’
The story was condemned by government and locals alike for fanning tribalism, and it escalated social media debates on the tribal issue in the country.
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Rwomushana, an outspoken government critic also said that Uganda Police was a major influence in the media misinforming readers through planting stories in media houses besides not explaining why the victim Akena was driven to Victoria Hospital then to Nakasero Hospital by-passing Mulago national referral hospital which is a few metres away.
He questioned the crime scene version of the events. Rwomushana said Police inquirers escalated the confusion by guarding the wrong crime scenes at shopping malls: Games Stores and Forest Mall instead of the more credible one opposite UMA show grounds gate at Lugogo. Police spokesman Andrew Felix Kaweesi says the relatives said the deceased told them he was shot near Forest Mall but his car was retrieved from around UMA.
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