By Henry D Gombya in London and Ismael I Nkonge in Kampala
Defeat of M23 was a personal blow to President Museveni's self-aggrandisement and egocentrism.
The March 23 (M23) movement that was recently routed by the Democratic Republic of Congo with the assistance of the United Nations Intervention Force, has all along been sponsored by Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni. Their defeat has dealt the Ugandan leader a devastating blow that made him cancel his trip a few days ago to attend this year's Commonwealth Heads of State and Government (CHOGM) meeting that opened yesterday in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo.
According to the FUF, the M23 defeat and increasing internal pressure from Ugandans who are angry that Museveni is trying to set up a family dynasty which will be led by his son Muhoozi Kainerugaba, as well as angry neighbouring countries that have seen the once-darling of the West become involved in almost each and every dispute that has taken place during his 27 years in power, have exposed Museveni's fanatical search for self-aggrandisement and his egocentrism. The defeat therefore was a personal defeat to his feelings.
When defeated by the Joseph Kabila army, the entire M23 leaders fled to Kampala accompanied by the entire brigades that had been boasting of their ability to stand against any forces while they were still in Eastern DRC. M23 leader Bertrand Bisiimwa who fled to Kampala with at least 200 close officials and has in the past been quick to call The London Evening Post and talk about sweet nothings, has since been holed up in a secure accommodation in Kampala alongside most of his senior lieutenants including the elusive Brig Gen Makenga who is wanted at The Hague to answer questions about child soldiers he is alleged to have used to fight his wars. His phone, alongside that of the former M23 chief negotiator in Kampala, Rene Abandi has gone silent.
At a press conference in Kampala, Uganda Government spokesman Ofwono Opondo said all M23 rebels who crossed into Uganda were now under arrest in Ugandan military barracks. "Makenga and the rest, I can confirm to you now, are under authority of the Ugandan government. I cannot and we shall not reveal his whereabouts but he is now under our control," Opondo said. When asked when the Ugandan army would have over the M23 rebel soldiers and its leaders to the UN, Opondo said as a law-abiding country, Uganda could not "just hand over such people to the DRC". "There are international laws and conventions we have to follow and we are going to utilize all such channels," he said.
The FUF revelations that Museveni has been sponsoring the M23 came as the DRC's Information Minister Lambert Mende accused of being biased towards the rebels. Mende's statement was described by Opondo as being not only unfounded and false, but also quite unhelpful in efforts to find a lasting solution to the DRC problem. He reminded the Congolese minister that when the DRC was beaten in Goma last year in November by the M23, a full DRC battalion ran into Uganda. "We did all we could until they were taken and handed back to the DRC authority. Why didn't they complain then?" he asked.
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