Former army commander, Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu has called upon the men and women in uniform to choose right over the unbecoming orders of their commander in chief, President Museveni, which he says are aimed at violating rights of citizens and putting them at risk upon retiring from service.
Muntu took to social media where he called upon soldiers to serve the people as their sole purpose instead of the government or President Museveni. Muntu said he is aware of the dilemma involving obeying an order from above and doing the right thing or know what it means to be caught between serving a Commander-in-Chief and serving those that choose the Commander-in-Chief
“It is hard to choose to do the right thing, especially when such noble action would likely be rewarded with harsh treatment and doing the wrong thing holds the promise of state protection. But you need to remember this; before you wore that uniform, you wore with honour the badge of citizenship. And it is that badge that you will retire to sooner or later. You had better make decisions in uniform that will ensure your safety when you are out of it,” Muntu said.
Muntu said that officers who side with those oppressing the people, will not only have failed in their duty to serve and protect, but will have thrown away their conscience as citizens.
“The people giving you unlawful orders are no more human than you are. And sooner or later, you will be a civilian, just like the people you are being asked to torment and treat unjustly. The people of Uganda recognise the work that you do to keep the country stable and safe. We recognise your sacrifices for the sake of peace. Both home and abroad, you have served humanity with distinction, helping stabilize the region and ensure law and order are kept at home. It is not you that the people of Uganda have an issue with. As Hon. Kyagulanyi quite rightly put it, ‘we are not fighting you, we are fighting for you’.”
According to Muntu, there is nothing more rewarding than leaving the army and finding that one does not need a gun on their shoulders to live peacefully with neighbours.
“As you go about your duties, ask yourselves the same question I have asked fellow servicemen over the years; if you willingly break the law to protect those in power against the law, what makes you think you will have the protection of the law when those in power leave? And they will one day leave, just as surely as the sun rises and sets. I urge you to choose right over might,” he said.
Mugisha Muntu was in the same camp with arrested MPs; Bobi Wine, Kassiano Wadri, Paul Mwiru, Gerald Karuhanga and bed ridden Francis Zaake during the recently concluded Arua Municipality campaigns.
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