UGANDA: IN DEFENCE OF LORD JUSTICE ALFONSE OWINY-DOLLO: “WHAT IS GOOD FOR GOOSE IS GOOD GENDER”

In Defense of Lord Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo; What Is Good for the Goose Is Good For The Gander*,

a reflection on the vitriolic attack by a one Andrew Mwenda on the person and office of the Chief Justice of the Republic of Uganda.

By Robert Obita Adongakulu, opinion leader from Gulu City, Northern Uganda._

A Twitter feed is going round of a one Andrew Mwenda Mujuni *Muhanga*, castigating the Chief Justice of the Republic of Uganda, a one Alfonse Owiny-Dollo Chigamoyi (ODC) regarding his stance on or statement on the Balaalo Question in Northern Uganda.

For those who don’t or didn’t know, Owiny Dollo comes from the Acoli ethnic group. Acoli Sub Region was the theatre of war for over two decades (1986 -2006+)

Dollo is a trained lawyer who rose through the ranks to the top echelon in the Judiciary in this country.

For an ‘outsider’ to the heavily sectarian politics in this country this was either (a). On merit or (b). In the belief he would best fit the endorsement of an evil intention against his own people (call it a set up!). Or both. In case he did the latter (just in case that was the intention) who would accuse a foreign hand of being behind such aberration? The verdict is yet to come.

*But first who is this Owiny Dollo?*

I first heard of and met Owiny in 1991 as a student from Acoli who was privileged to lead Acoli Makerere Students’ Association (AMSA) at a time when war was ranging in the North. And we could not travel back home.

Together with, among others; Mego Betty Bigombe fondly called Atuku (then an NRM Government Minister); Hillary Obaloker Onek (then Managing Director of National Water and Sewerage Corporation); Charles Alai a.k.a Revisited (then GOU Minister); (then) Major Fred Tolit (an NRA officer), Livingstone Okello-Okello (then a Government Surveyor); Ali Kisekka (a UPC stalwart); and a one (then) Captain Charles Otema Awany (then incharge of Military Transport with an office on 6th Street) they were Acoli leaders who cushioned our stay as displaced students in Kampala and gave us hope, and comfort.

Two things defined Owiny-Dollo for me (a). *His astuteness*, both in law as in ordinary life.

We are since friends and exchange banters regularly.

(b). *His Acoliness is never in doubt*. And we need not apologize for it. He was, and is, a culturalist per excellence. He is very rich in our cultural history, is a great dancer and will shock you when he handles the drum ( bwul) and the sticks that beat them in _bwola_ dancing or the spokes in a _larakaraka_ dance.

*He served in the Constituent Assembly representing then Agago County*; later *became Member of Parliament , and. Government Minister* until he opted out of politics. So largely he is a technocrat, with Law as his calling.

But make no mistake: *what is not politics, and what is not political?*. The line between politics and daily living/livelihood is like between being very bright and being mad; one usually inadvertently overlaps into the other.

*Owiny-Dollo is measured, witty, humourous, down to earth but can also proverbially hold the bull by the horns, and balls…*

The Bible says ” _to whom much is given, even more is expected”_

*****

I started knowing AM in 1992/3 when he joined behind me at Makerere University.

AM was one of the promising young men in this country. He was (and is)sharp mentally, witty albeit with a knack for shooting his motor mouth in all directions; except this time he is degenerating into a fight he either does not know or whose potential ramifications he may not fathom.

During his heydays in journalism he exuded moral authority; this AM has increasingly estranged itself. In any case he was a deep end investigator with links to people high and mighty in the power and business echelons in this country. Sometime he would dig real insider information and wow this country with! He enjoyed such a cult following among intellectually honest Ugandans including yours truly.

Before he lost his soul to the finer things of this world, A.M was in the same league with Teddy Cheezi Cheeye of The Confidential Newsletter, _The Paper that Splits the Atom_ ; because it spared no one. No wonder Cheeye’s demise in what was officially a local boda boda accident at Nakawa Red lights, caused tounges wagging. (Perhaps A.M got his lesson right and timely).

AM was ballistic and spoke truth to power. I recall a statement he made and I repeat without fear of retribution when he described the Head of State Yoweri Museveni as _”a Modern day Nyungu-Ya-Mawe”_
(Rock of Stone). The historians here have heard of that Matabele Chief reputed for his dictatorial and amorous streaks.

In his several (real or perceived) diatribes he attacked each and every member of the First Family for which he also ‘enjoyed’ some space in the Coolers in this country.

*Then…something radical happened to this Old man of the Clan and son of Kanyandahi, except this time it was like a Paul turned Saul… a reverse gear in virtues*.

But one needs not be surprised:-

a. *The allure of power*. Greed is like pregnancy. It is not visible until the passage of time reveals it to all and sundry.

AM is one who brags of or is talked about as one who shops for his suits from the Harrods in the United Kingdom and such high-end foreign shops.

He rubs shoulders with and does business with and for the dictators in the Great Lakes Region. Some his businesses include white washing evil (deeds) and punching holes in the credentials of those who think, even in refined and dignified manners, that ” _the Emperor Must Be Naked ..”_; after all.

I am therefore not surprised that Owiny Dollo, an Acoli at the echelon of the Justice system must be in his cross hairs…

AM fratenises with First Son and Heir apparent ( nothing wrong in it!) and is rumoured to be in the pay of the ” _both channels agenda”_ in the Western world; something he has not been shy to articulate; the rights of the LGBTQ+..

b. *Conflict of interest*. Just in case you did not know there is blood relations between AM and the Head of Land Forces, a General Muhanga who headed Operation Shujja in the D.R.C before he left it to a Gen. Dick Olum as he took over from (perhaps) a relative; a Gen. Muhoozi Kaneirugaba, 1st Son and Presidential Advisor of Special Operations (pun intended) and an avowed Standby Generator in the Kaguta Estate called Uganda and a ‘son’ to the General Caleb Akandwanaho a.k.a Salim Saleh operating from his tactical headquarters in Purongo, deep in Acoli and a known apologist for the Balaalo Must Stay (BMS) against the Balaalo Must Go (BMG) to which the Chief Justice, as an Acoli is perceived to belong. There may be nothing wrong in this web of relations, except if you zoom there lens deeper…

AM has severally been seen donning the UPDF uniform, something that conflicts with the UPDF Act and would be punishable in a counttry where the application of the Law and the administration of Justice is equal.

He severally flies in the UPDF chopper (this is not criminal but a privilege an ordinary _Mukoopi_ like yours truly will not afford, in this regime).

Since it is (now) on record that many of the _Balaalo_ God Fathers are either from a certain region from where AM comes, and that most are Generals or affiliated to top Generals, Business Men and Politicians from a certain region in this country, Mwenda, his sister Margaret Muhanga and Gen. Muhanga, the Commander Land Forces may know or have their hand in the pie that the choice land in Acoli Sub Region has become. *This is the elephant in the room!* . If it is legal and legitimate, he needs not fear, harangue and try to blackmail Dollo.

In insinuating that *Acoli are selfish yet they have land or have settled in other people’s land(also) is a baloney that smacks of blackmail because IT IS CONTEXTUALLY VERY WRONG AND INSULTING; a feeble attempt to justify what may appear like ” _someone raping your mother and bringing a cotton gauze to mop her bleeding va++++” ; and you are supposed to prostrate at such act of generosity_*

Did any Acoli move at night to buy land? To cheat peasants anywhere by confusing hectages with acreages? To move with guns in the name of acquisition? With funding allegedly from Bank of Uganda? Or money being cleaned from the proceeds of looting from neighbouring countries? From tax payers money? From proceeds of dodgy mineral deals in this country? *Give this country a break!*

As Acolis, *we may NOT know what we want but we know what we Do Not want*. I read Minister Frank Tumwebaze reportedly defending Gen. Muhoozi against being accused of insulting the just wedded Kyabazinga of Busoga for asking a King to go and pick cows from Ankole…. Frank is reported to have quiped ” _this is not how things work in the Ankole culture_ “. He urged people first to learn about people’s cultures before arguing about things they don’t know… *Are Acoli not entitled to preserve their cultural integrity against a Balaalo intrusion with elements of bathing in public, mixing up in the bed/room, etc.etc.?*. What is good for the goose is good for the gander.

The matters of/in this country must be settled by the stand of decorum represented by the Owiny Dollos, lest the lost generation of Acoli, by some stroke of hard luck will have their day… REGRETTABLY!! With disastrous consequences for all of us…

Bold writer like us should be your friends who shine the torch around the dark corners of you political manipulation of facts and information, for the good of all of us because this is the only country we have and share.. Be NOT like the fool who breaks a radio for announcing the death of a loved one. I am a mere messenger inspired by God for the cause of Truth and Justice.

*For avoidance of doubt; and on record it is the soberness, honesty, restraint of the Owiny Dollos that may be postponing a looming and simmering situation from potential explosion*

This High Horse occupied by the Mwendas of this world in keeping with the *Might Is Right* doctrine is a foolhardly that has NOT learnt from the lesson of history; in Uganda, the Region, The Continent and the Whole Wide World…

This Government needs the Owiny-Dollos who speak the truth with decorum and finesse not the hoodlums who are mobilized to carricature him as a tribalist, sectarian and a fool.

On the contrary, the web of relations among the Muhangas and the position they occupy in this country needs closer interrogation before Owiny-Dollo is unreasonable crucified on a baseless cross, of being tribalist, and an idiot for speaking his conscience informed by Law; a Law which he participated in crafting through the C.A about 3 decades todate..

One thing is for sure: *Time and History Is (still) On Our Side*, and Time Tries The Truth.

Sadly, unless and until those who hate the Acoli Dollo ammend the Constitution (and they have the numbers ) and remove him, his tenure is entrenched in/by Law. The other route open to those who have the Majje (army) and networks of military and paramilitary is to go the Benedicto Kiwanuka way…Afterall there is a precedence.

But in Acoli, like among the Ibos of West Africa, we don’t fight blameless wars and therefore rely on our ancestors and the _lapii_ …

We had such opportunity to forget the woes imposed upon us for over two decades. We have given our illustrous, sons and daughters to the service of this country. *Is that the way to reward us?*