Kalangala Action Plan (Uganda)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: |
no
|
| PGM ID Number: |
199
|
| Country: |
Uganda |
| Date formed: |
Jan. 1, 2001 |
| Accuracy of date formed: |
year
|
| Details of Formation: |
The KAP is an informal group created and headed by Maj. Ronald Kakooza Mutale, then a senior presidential adviser. It was officially launched in 2001 as a mobilisation group for the reelection of president Museveni and part of Museveni’s election campaign strategy (Human Rights Watch 2003, 2004, 2010). |
| Date dissolved: |
Unknown |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: |
day
|
| Details of Termination: |
The group is not officially terminated and may be mobilised in further presidential election campaigns to ensure Museveni’s victory. |
| Termination Type(s): |
none
|
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): |
none
|
| Successor group(s): |
none
|
| Private Military Company? |
no |
| Former Group? |
no |
| Former Armed Group? |
NA |
| Former Rebel Group? |
no |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: |
none |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? |
no |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: |
none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: |
informal (type 1) |
| Created by the Government?: |
yes |
Main Creating Government Institution: |
person/minister
|
| Government Link(s): |
person/minister
|
| If link to party, name of party: |
|
| Training and Equipment: |
yes |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: |
no information |
| Shared Personnel: |
no information |
| Type(s) of Material Support: |
military
|
| State Sponsor(s): |
none
|
| Other Connection(s): |
|
Group Characteristics
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): |
none
|
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: |
not applicable
|
| Ethnic Membership: |
none
|
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: |
not applicable
|
| Ethnic Purpose: |
none
|
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: |
not applicable
|
Other Information
| Other Information: |
The group was originally used in 2001 and then again in 2006 during presidential election campaigns. They were also reported present at a by-election in 2007 (although no violence was reported). They are government trained and reports claim they wear green uniforms. Their members include several ministers. |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: |
The militia was trained in order to forcefully influence the 2001 election to Museveni’s advantage by deliberately using violence and intimidation. If a specific area was opposed to Museveni’s candidature, the KAP would travel to that region and intimidate people armed with sticks and guns. They kidnapped and tortured opposition leaders and help mobilise Museveni’s supporters (Rukooko 2005: 217-18).
The KAP successfully fulfilled its purpose as Museveni emerged as the winner of the 2001 and subsequent elections.
|
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use |
deniability of violence
|
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: |
The KAP arbitrarily arrested and detained people despite having no legal authority to do so, and violently attacked opposition supporters.
All levels of government deny that they control the KAP and other paramilitary groups, making accountability almost impossible (Human Rights Watch 2003, 2010).
|
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: |
killing; beating; torture
|
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? |
no |
| PGM Members Paid? |
no information |
| Reasons for Membership: |
The militia drew its membership from loyalists of President Museveni's National Resistance Movement (NRM) and was described by the president as a "political action group for disturbed areas” (Human Rights Watch 2009). |
| PGM Members Killed? |
no information |
PGM Size
| Size: |
Reports on group size range from 150 to 800 members. |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: |
The State House officially requested the UPDF to arm the KAP (Human Rights Watch 2003). They underwent military training and used sticks and guns. |
Organisation
| Organisation: |
The group was headed by Senior Presidential Political Adviser, Maj. Ronald Kakooza Mutale (Rukooko 2005: 218). |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Human Rights Watch. 2003. “Abducted and Abused: Renewed War in Northern Uganda.”
Human Rights Watch. 2004. "State of Pain: Torture in Uganda."
Human Rights Watch. 2009. "Open Secret: Illegal Detention and Torture by the Joint Anti-terrorism Task Force in Uganda."
Human Rights Watch. 2010. "Uganda: Keep Election Campaign Free of Abuses. Prosecute Past Political Violence; Stop Intimidation of Media."
Rukooko, A. Byaruhanga. 2005. Protracted Civil War, Civil Militias and Political Transition in Uganda since 1986. In David J. Francis (ed.) Civil Militia: Africa’s intractable security menace? Aldershot: Ashgate, 213-230.
Evidence
