On Museveni, Allimadi's Blinded By Bias

By Paul Ng'arua

Black Star News

May 21st, 2009

Photo (Left):
Ugandan Dictator Museveni

Photo (Right):

Juvenal Habyarimana, R.I.P.
His 1994 assassination sparkled the mayhem that claimed an estimated million lives.

[Letter To The Editor]

Milton Allimadi’s article “Uganda's Genocidal President Eyes Kenya” published in Black Star News on May 15, 2009 is an excellent piece of work that I would recommend for study material in all schools of journalism.

This article is in my view an excellent example of modern African writers who are at war against despotism and have sacrificed their soul on the altar of the same devil. It breaks my heart to see that this has happened to Milton Allimadi.

Allimadi’s hatred for Museveni is justifiable. Out of no choice of himself he bears the scars of "Ugandan" despotism. He knows how it feels to be a refugee. But to cause that trauma to inflict deformities on the face of ones professional integrity is a matter of choice.

Allimadi has unfortunately allowed that to happen. A lot has been written about Museveni’s “mad Jaruo” insult. But this is not excuse to practice “no holds barred journalism”.

In the article Milton Allimadi has exposed his rough side. One need not go to great lengths nor try too hard to depict Museveni as a villain. But in vilifying him, Allimadi must be professional. It does not help matters to say that Museveni was behind the killing of Juvenal Habyarimana of Rwanda and Cyprian Ntaryamira of Burundi on 6th April 1994 ; a matter that sparked the Rwandan genocide.

In the same breath, it is unnecessary to accuse Museveni of driving a wedge between the Luo and the Kikuyu in Kenya over Migingo Island. To use the Rwandan genocide and the Migingo Island to draw conclusion that Museveni is the mad “genocide president” is to water down the war on despotism.

Allimadi grew up in Uganda. He has a very solid grounding to write copiously, objectively and passionately about Uganda and Museveni without exaggerations and falsehoods. Is Milton serious when he asserts that President Museveni exported human skulls from Uganda's Luwero triangle to Kigali to assist President Kagame to make a case for the Rwanda Genocide?

This is a symptom that Milton’s zest to fight despotism in Africa is damaged by lack of professional integrity. In his monumental work “The Hearts of Darkness, How White Writers Created The Racist Image of Africa,” an exploration into Western media’s historical demonization of Africa over the last several centuries – from Herodotus’ “The Histories,” is a good illustration that professionalism is the icon on the alter of racism, sensationalism and bias.

It is quite ironic therefore that Allimadi falls into the same vicious trap of bias and sensationalism whenever Museveni’s name comes up. This does disservice to the crusaders against despots. For instance, while still trying to clobber Museveni, Allimadi also introduces a side issue to show. He asserts that only Kibaki rigged the elections in Kenya. Is this the whole truth?

Does Allimadi have an affinity for the Luo community that blinds his view? Is ODM innocent of ballot staffing in their areas? Why omit such an important detail, if not for bias. In the same breath he implores "Kenyans" to see through manipulations half truths and insults? Which "Kenyans" is he talking about ?

In this case, Allimadi's bias against the Kikuyus and the inference that Museveni is aligned to them is apparent. In fact Mr. Allimadi is in my view guilty of meddling. Given that Mr. Museveni came to power and has remains in power through a series of violent and other questionable means, is no license for Mr. Allimadi to peddle exaggerations and rumors about Museveni and or his intentions “ to split the Luos and the Kikuyus” over anything.

In fact, Museveni’s insult was in the context of the persons who were uprooting the “Uganda railway” upon the instigation of certain "mad" leaders in Kibera. I think Mr. Allimadi is reading too many journals of the so-called explorers such as Samuel Baker, and the 20th century reportage by Western journalists that he has now become "cloned" as one of them in as far as Kenyans are concerned.

In view of this, can we afford to lose writers of Mr. Allimadi's caliber on to the altar of despots?

Notes:

Please post your comments directly online or submit them for publication to milton@blackstarnews.com

"Speaking Truth To Empower."

Related Materials:
Uganda’s Genocidal President Eyes Kenya