PHOTO: When Hon. Zaake (in a blue suit) officiated at the graduation ceremony of Simon Peter Galiwango (next to Zaake in a gown). Zaake’s invitation landed Galiwango into problems with security operatives
STORY BY: SHARON ASIO
NEWS EDITOR MEDIA
DAVID MUSIRI, the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) Party Institutons’ leader was yesterday(Thursday) night arrested by police and other security operatives as other youth are being hunted to be thrown into coolers!
According to NUP Insititutions official tweeter page, Musiri was arrested at Kyambogo University amidst teargas pouring like rainfall on students by heartless police officers.
“David Musiri was arrested and whisked away a few minutes ago, when police began using tear gas on Students during the reading of the Guild President election results by the Students Electoral Commission.” Reads a tweet from NUP Institutions.
Hon. Francis Zaake, the NUP National youth leader who also doubles as Member of Parliament for Mityana Municipality constituency in the 11th Parliament has condemned the continued arrests of opposition youth especially those subscribing to NUP, warning the State on what Zaake referred to as violation of human rights in Uganda and torture of the opponents.
In an exclusive interview with this leading investigative news online today morning, a day after Constitutional Court in Uganda quashed the resolution by Parliament to remove Hon. Zaake from the Parliamentary Commission, Zaake revealed to us how a number of opposition youth have gone into hiding and some are running out of the country in fear for their lives.
“As i strongly condemn the arrest of Mr. David Musiri, i want to bring it to the attention of human rights defenders and the public at large that the NRM government has continued to abduct our people especially opposition youth for fighting dictatorship and agitating for the rule of law and good governance.” Said MP Zaake.
He noted that, “We are worried, by 2026 General elections, many opposition youth will be in torture chambers, prisons or killed.
Among opposition youth Zaake talked about are those who are still rotting in Prisons and others like Simon Peter Galiwango whose whereabouts according to MP Zaake, are not known.
Zaake revealed to us how, “Simon Peter Galiwango was so fundamental in mobilizing fellow University students to resist dictatorship in our country but security operatives have been trailing him to his home. As of today, his whereabouts are not known.”
ABOUT SIMON PETER GALIWANGO
A 31 years old father to a two years’ old boy, Simon Peter is a graduate with Bsc. in Telecomunications Engineering at the prestigious Makerere University.
Simon Peter is one of the brains behind People Power/NUP led strikes at Makerere and other Insititutions of higher learning.
Since his days at Makerere University, Galiwango, originally a Uganda Young Democrat (UYD) supporter has been among the invisible hands in moblizing for opposition in Uganda.
His four year stay at the University was filled with political running battles such as the Vice Chancellor Power Struggles,
Administration struggles and most importantly the Student Body Vs Senate Administration on the tuition increment policy.
Majority of the students (Simon Peter Galiwango inclusive) were 100% against this policy, Makerere being a public University.
“We were aware the government funds the normal running of the institution with a certain percentage under the education act. Factor in the tuition over 500,000 students pay every semester and there would be sufficient funds to run the university.
For no concrete reasons, the university kept on pushing for the 10% tuition increment but the
student body disagreed as many students were struggling to raise the current fees structure. We had to organise a series of strikes (2012-2016).” Said Galiwango when one time he was asked why with his team, they made MUK unruly.
He said, “The strike of October 7, 2015, I was among the participants since I was a final year student hoping to finish my studies. Makerere University demanded 100% tution payment of all students in the first six weeks. Being a Government University with students from poor families, we rejected the University position and requested them to revisit their decission but all our efforts were in vain. We had no other option but to mobilize students for a demonstration. Pressure from students was too much and the University was shut down indefinitely. Many of the students were badly beaten by police, others brutally arrested since government regarded us as traitors to state institutions. I was among the students who managed to escape.“
In fact for the last strike, Zaake was in touch with Galiwango and other Makerere students ring leaders.
For starters, it is this MP Zaake who picked a war with MUK Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe over how he mistreats, tortures students and mismanages the University. Then Speaker Rt. Hon. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga’s 10th Parliament referred MP Zaake to the Rules Committee on allegations of disturbing him (Prof. Nawangwe), but the Committee failed to find evidence to pin Zaake.
The two, Zaake and Galiwango have been so close even before People power pressure group was formed.
For record purposes when Zaake contested for Guild President at Ndejje University, Simon Peter led a team of MUK students which went to Ndejje University to canvas votes for Zaake, an election he massively won.
When Zaake contested for MP in 2021, again Simon Peter Galiwango and a group of MUK students camped in Mityana to campaign for a fellow ‘fighter’. Thanks be to God, Zaake convincingly defeated other contestants. Little did Simon Peter know that security operatives were trailing him and wanted him arrested to be quizzed on his dealings with Zaake. By the time he realised, it was too late.
On his graduation ceremony in Kabowa a Kampala suburb on 21 February 2017, Simon Peter shocked his family when he hosted Hon. Zaake as chief guest, a function which Zaake turned into a political rally and praised Simon Peter Galiwango for being a brave youth who chose not to dine with what he called the oppressors.
“I wouldnt be here if Iand Simon Peter are not on the same front against human rights voilations in Uganda, dictatorship and corruption. As forces of change, we are so proud of him.” Said MP Zaake.
In his Speech, Mr. Galiwango thanked Zaake for the spirit of brotherhood and pledged to soldier on.
In fact, on this function, Zaake gave Galiwango a job to install security cameras at his Nalumunye home now that he had gained the expertise
CAMPAIGN FOR KYAGULANYI
Although Simon Peter had left Makerere University, his network was intact. When Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine contested for MP Kyadondo East, Simon Peter liased with his MUK teams and camped in Kyadondo East. Kyagulanyi won on all polling stations.
Later, when People Power pressure group turned into a political party (NUP), Simon Peter is among youth who first subscribed to this leading oposition party in Uganda.
He has survived a number of arrests being an invisible strategist who rarely shows his face.
However, Security operatives have kept on trailing this young man and we will not be shocked if he is smoked out of his hidng place.
Also click to read this; ‘NOW I CAN SEE’, SAYS MP ZAAKE AFTER A SUCCESSFUL EYES’ OPERATION @ USA HOSPITAL
For views/comments on this story, send us an email on newseditor.info@gmail.com
