In Colombia, South America, the chief of intelligence has resigned because it was found out that security operatives were surveilling and tapping the conversations of an opposition leader.

This is a country with a number of guerrilla groups which have been fighting the government for over four decades.

In Uganda on the other hand, the government has been using intelligence organisations as part of its political machinery for decades and has just passed a law legalising the tapping of phone conversations of any person in Uganda. Tapping has been going on for decades in such a flagrant manner that when they switch on the tape they make sure that you hear the flick of the switch/button or the grating noise of tape beginning to role.

Sometimes it is not even tapping, it is jamming because you cannot hear the person at the other end of the line. Recently I joked with someone in security and asked him to advise his colleagues in the tapping business to buy more modern equipment so that their eavesdropping could be more discreet.

The violation of people's privacy is flaunted in such obvious ways as the recent account in a newspaper about Maj. Gen. Muhwezi's telephone conversation, minute by minute, with an alleged bank robber. His response was that he was being framed in order to have him arrested. If Jim says that the government frames people, you need no other authority about such practices as he has been part of the security for a very long time.

While at this framing business, opposition circles have picked information that there are plans to frame some opposition leaders by linking them with rebel activities. As popular support or credibility cannot be sustained for long through patronage or intimidation, the regime will increasingly rely on intimidation, violence and bribery as the tools to maintain power. Thus violation of human rights and corruption are likely to intensify.

As if to confirm that fundamental freedoms are under attack, the Editor in Chief of the New Vision newspaper has resigned because of lack of editorial independence, thus confirming the prevalence of violation of press freedom.

Several senior officials of the same newspaper have resigned as well. As opposition to the regime continues rising, intolerance has been rising at a faster rate. Thus the Daily Monitor newspaper and many FM radio stations have specifically been attacked.

The Buganda leadership has been singled out as a focus for specific vitriolic attacks. As matters stand now the Kabaka seems to need a visa to visit some areas under his kingdom. Taking the cue from neighbouring Kayunga and Nakasongola, a clan leader was heard declaring secession of Bunya from Busoga as an expression of lack of confidence in the inclusiveness of the process of the election of the Kyabazinga.

Only six of the expected 26 EAC/COMESA/SADC presidents turned up mainly because of the regional positions they currently hold. But as the benefits of regional integration were being recounted at Munyonyo, the forces of divide-and-rule are busy at work in Uganda.

The newest enterprise, after the born-again churches, is the creation of numerous new traditional leaders to the extent that they may need special representation in Parliament and the creation of a special court to handle the complaints of the numerous claimants to the thrones. Even an enterprising judge has enthroned his own cultural leader and now serves as his right-hand man.

Food for thought: With the phasing out of the EAC and other regional groupings, will the next campaign slogan be that the President will not retire until the EAC/COMESA/SADC federation has been achieved?

Mr Ruzindana is FDC party secretary for research and policy