The rapid fall from grace of RDC Sakwa can best be explained by the old testament biblical story of Haman – the King’s servant who believed he was untouchable and the King would only do as he proposed. Using his power and the King’s trust carelessly, he ended up plotting against the King’s father in-law and set up an execution trap for him.
After the queen pleaded with the King on behalf of her father and her tribesmen, Haman was hanged on the same execution trap he had set for his enemies and all his relatives hunted down and massacred the way he had plotted against others.
A way from the bible, a mere glance at the former powerful Museveni’s envoy yesterday Friday May 8 after the office of the President issued an order for his immediate evacuation from office would have taught anybody in positions of power to trade carefully.
“In accordance with section F.S Paragraph 8 of the public standing order (2010), you are here by interdicted in your position of Residential District Commissioner and therefore barred from exercising the powers and functions of your office with immediate effect,” read the Friday 8 letter that announced the end to the beginning of the bitter period for Sakwa to face the world on his own.
Having worked around the clock while thinking he was doing the will of his master – the President and the Government he ( the president) leads, Sakwa stepped on the toes of nearly anyone below his authority. He violated the rights of local traders, boda bodas, mechanics, market vendors which made the narratives of the historical Roman brutality come real in Jinja.
Over time, Sakwa, a former UPC extremist demonstrated he had became so drank with power and authority, and antagonizing the lower class was a feat he had out grown. As such, he set the bar a lot higher, rubbing his ruthless feast against the town’s greats like Jinja West MP Grace Balyeku, the only man who was fearlessly willing to dare the man who had become feared like a god in Jinja.
Politicians, senior civil servants, the educated and the illiterates spoke his name in whispers alike! Seeing how powerful Sakwa had become, politicians started to run to his camp and make peace with him since they had all become certain that the way he rudely used his power would protect them regardless of the means employed.
As such, Balyeku was isolated a long with a few bold and determined allies who were determined to expose Sakwa’s tyranny no matter the cost. These had however not realised that a battle with Sakwa was like a battle against the wall and as expected, he triumphed and Balyeeku and group went into hibernation.
Having successfully plotted against Balyeku in a land fraud to the Bamugemereire commission and subsequently heralding to the world how his life was threatened by the very man he had just wrestled to the ground, the war had become too big for Balyeku and company to win. They had lost and Sakwa had won.
With Balyeku- the only standing challenger to his authority already muddied at last, Sakwa went on a power frenzy. He now felt he had outgrown Jinja – the town of his deployment. He now wanted the whole country to feel his invincibility! His ambition had blinded him! Many close pals tried to caution him, excluding those in Jinja who were scared of his ruthlessness in face of criticism, but he was determined to go all the way regardless of what it took.
The search for national limelight pitted him against the FDC strongman – Col Dr Kizza Besigye who he violently assaulted and detained for merely visiting Jinja town more times that amused him. He subsequently declared the former Museveni’s personal physician an unwanted visitor in Jinja!
This was a signal that the former UPC youth winger had turned into a disgrace to the image of the government he was serving. But in hope that he would to mend his ways, Museveni elected to hold onto him despite allegedly being advised to drop him before the damage to the institution would grow to become irreparable.
At the height of his brutality, Sakwa became a centre for media attention all over the country and invitations on national Televisions started trickling in like water. It’s at one of these numerous media appearances that he demonstrated the Savage in him on NBS TV when he insulted the City Lord Mayor Alhaji Ssalongo Erias Lukwago – a Moslem and a parent, by referring to him as a pig before the moderator for NBS’ Frontline programme asked him to withdraw the statement.
Despite the heights he had reached in showing his tyranny, Sakwa wasn’t done yet. On returning to Jinja, he had metamorphosed into a demi god of the sort. In one of the interviews on the current crisis over COVID19, Sakwa bragged on how he wasn’t bothered about the law but all he knew was that no questions were to be asked as long as he were implementing the directives of the President. As such, no matter what he did would not be challenged for that reason!
For those that knew and had worked with Sakwa closely wouldn’t have taken his remarks lightly. They knew he was capable of doing whatever he hinted on. Those who defied his message would risk paying with their lives!
People Power mobiliser Pastor Andrew Muwanguzi would later get a day to forget after he survived being torn through by the President’s man’s bullet for trying to question the legality of the Presidential directives on COVID19 during a radio talkshow in which he had been hosted by the powerful RDC. Armed and fully charged, Sakwa wouldn’t stand looking on as the man of God from the opposition was challenging the powers of his appointing authority.
In jinja, Sakwa didn’t feel like an RDC he conducted himself like the President himself and whoever resisted treating him in the same manner risked facing his evil bloodied arm.
Having been prevented from reprimanding his prey that day in the NBS FM radio studio, Sakwa felt the world was unfair. How could he miss punishing a mere opposition boy who had dared to challenge him! Unsatisfied with the occurrences of the day, Sakwa raided Muwanguzi’s residence towards midnight, typical of the Amin’s times, and tortured him through the night until he was dropped at Nalufenya police post unconscious!
These barbaric acts of the RDC had already soaked the people of Jinja in unprecedented fear. He was a symbol of power. He had become arguably the most powerful man around town. Jinja was like his colony like he only paid allegiance to the central government but he was a semi autonomous entity where he ran things the way he wanted.
During the COVID19 lockdown, Sakwa exerted untold terror against the people of Jinja. His word had already become law and order and people followed it as though it had been written somewhere among God’s ten commandments!
The climax of his power blindness and brutality came when he flogged a resident he allegedly found outside his house and caused his death. The diseased was identified as Isanga Charles of Lwanda Village in Mafubira subcounty, on the outskirts of Jinja town. This attracted fierce protests to the President to bring his man to book. It was at this time when the fighting spirit of Balyeku and allies resurrected and pushed for his arrest and prosecution.
With the interdiction letter already served and it’s contents implemented with immediate effect, it’s certain that Sakwa had become a liability to the image of his master’s government and discarding him now was a necessary evil now than at anytime beyond. Anticipating that he will subsequently be redeployed even after the prosecution has proved him innocent would be an ambitious expectation since the murder accusation will have damaged his image irreparably.
Alone, frightened and deserted. Sakwa is reaping what he sow.
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