Why Museveni sponsors terrorists and blames it on Rwanda

President Paul Kagame held a televised interview on September 5 in which he spoke about a range of issues including the relationship with neighboring countries.

On Uganda, the Rwandan leader answered questions on the continued harassment of Rwandans in Uganda where they are arrested, tortured and killed while being accused of espionage.

Kagame said: “It has become a trend for Uganda to blame Rwanda for anything, even for things that are totally unrelated. Don’t be surprised if they blame Rwanda for Covid-19.”

Barely a day after Kagame spoke about the blame game by Uganda, they were at it. Commandonepost, a website owned by Uganda’s Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), published a story with a bizarre title, “the ADF rebels have benefitted from foreign funding and logistical support, mainly the southern neighbors Rwanda.”

This brings to mind the infamous Nazi propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels, whose propaganda strategy was to “accuse the other side of that which you are guilty.” Uganda makes wild allegations against Rwanda but never provides evidence to prove the claims.

By blaming Rwanda, Uganda is trying to hide its face from a milliard of evidence of Museveni’s involvement, first of all, in the looting of DRC resources.

In 2005, Uganda was implicated by the International Court of Justice in acts of looting, raping and other human right abuses in the DRC. The court ordered Uganda to pay DRC reparations to the tune of US$ 10 billion.  For over 15 years, Uganda kept dodging to pay DRC for the looting and human rights injustices. 

Museveni’s brother, Salim Saleh, who was implicated by the UN report in the looting of Congolese resources was forced to resign from Parliament. But he did not stop the looting business.

The second reason for Uganda’s falsehoods against Rwanda is to try to create an equivalence to cover up the hard evidence of Uganda's involvement in supporting terror groups like RNC and FDLR with the aim of destabilizing Rwanda.

Captured RNC fighters in DRC like Major Mudathiru and captured FDLR commanders like Ignace Nkaka, alias La Forge Fils Bazeye, and Lt Col Nsekanabo Jean Pierre, alias “Abega", told court how the Uganda government was deeply involved in sponsoring and coordinating their terror activities with the aim of toppling the Rwandan government.

Museveni is sponsoring terror groups to destabilize Rwanda. And his security agencies, led by CMI, believe that they are acting smart - trying to hoodwink the world that Rwanda is also to blame for sponsoring ADF against Uganda. 

Museveni discovered that he can only create a convenient excuse for looting DRC resources by keeping a revolving door that allows Ugandan troops in the country under the guise of fighting ADF. However, the same Museveni turns out to be the real sponsor of ADF.

There is an illicit trade in Cocoa from DRC to Uganda meant to finance terror groups operating inside DRC. Two companies are operating cross border cocoa trade namely; ESCO-Kivu and ESCO-Uganda. These companies work closely with terror groups (ADF/MTM) in Ruwenzori, Beni territory.  Museveni’s family, especially his young brother Salim Saleh, is linked to these companies.  

The ADF often attacks locals in Rwenzori during the Cocoa harvesting season so that when the people ran away for safety, it takes advantage and harvests the Cocoa beans. ESCO trucks transport the harvested Cocoa to Uganda for sale.

The trucks use the Nobili border in cheferie de Wataringa, Beni territory. Sources have, over time, established the number plates of 14 trucks used in this transport:  UAJ661R, UAD721Q, UAK878A, UAD749Q, UAJ653R, UAD727Q, UAH928U, UDE946L, UAJ660R, UAD719Q, SSD252H, UAQ826C, T403CSU, UBE440Z.

The trucks cross the border between DRC and Uganda without any declaration documents, an indication that the business is conducted by high level security agents in CMI and Uganda immigration.

After selling the Cocoa, the money transfer to ADF/MTM terror activities in Beni is done through two commercial banks - Equity/BCDC located in Kasese, Uganda and Rwabank in Beni, DRC. Cocoa business is used as a cover for ESCO-Uganda to transfer money to ESCO-Kivu, which ends up in the hands of ADF.

It is estimated that between 2017 and 2020, $25 million was transacted in the two banks in the guise of buying Cocoa from farmers. In actual fact, there is no single farmer or supplier of Cocoa on the ground.

On April 29, 2019, the Congolese Justice accused ESCO-Kivu of financing cross-border terrorism, by involving in illicit activities on Nobili border. The terror activities in Beni caused by ADF get financial support Museveni’s inner circle which is involved in illegal trade in DRC. Claims that Rwanda is supporting ADF are a fiction that does not sale beyond CMI corridors.