In the more recent past, Kapeeka and Gen. Caleb Akandwanaho alias Gen. Salim Saleh have been in the lips of many. This was triggered by letters purportedly authored by the General to Kampala Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago. The whole talk has now degraded to meeting Gen. Saleh. But what happens during these meetings? In this piece, we take you step by step to meeting the Chief Government Listener.
Arrival
Every meeting with Gen. Saleh starts with an appointment. Your appointment is cross checked at the gate to confirm whether or not you are on the programme.
“The place is heavily guarded. That is a fact, with visibly uniformed men. Before arriving there (at the gate), there is a checkpoint (Quarter Guard) where they check you. It is majorly the first stop and then the final one (at the gate). It is from there where you get clearance and you proceed. They ask who you are, the reason and then you make some phone calls, they (guards) also receive some phone calls from the people that are receiving you. Clearance comes from inside. So, you introduce yourselves with identification (of course) and the clearance phone calls come from inside. You can only access the big man through a programme. If you are not part of the programme, you can’t go beyond the checkpoint,” a source who has been to Kapeeka multiple times narrates.
Waiting area
So, the source adds: “when you go inside, there is a big waiting area.”
“It is a really massive structure. There are even government offices. All Government offices have a mini office there. Almost every government department has a representative there. URSB, NIRA, etc. It is another government of its own. The waiting area is where you see everyone, regardless of their position or influence in the country. You all wait from there. So, you will see everyone and anyone who wants to see the big man.”
As you wait for Gen. Saleh, the first sign that he is about to show up at the waiting area is when you see whiteboards and blue/black markers.
“When that happens, you are arranged, they get those whiteboards and the big man himself comes and starts lecturing you on economics, regardless of what you have gone to do and before anything or any meetings happen. The lecture is tailored on how you can make the country more productive. How agriculture is the backbone of the economy and everything to do with patriotism but in line with economics.”
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The second sign is when you are asked politely to switch off your phones and hand them in. There, the General arrives for the lecture.
“They ask you politely to switch off your phones and hand them in. Now that the big man is here, follow these instructions. Switch off your phones and hand them in.”
The meeting
The lecture is to prepare one for the meeting. After that (the lecture), he goes into a shade.
There, someone is sent to the waiting area, and invites you (in your group) to move to the shade for the meeting.
“You meet him in the particular order of your importance, not arrival or attendance. The meeting is attended by any other person he might delegate to take minutes. Majorly, people go there in groups of twos, three or more. It is uncommon to see someone sitting with the big man and he is alone.”
While there, there is sort of a second lecture.
“He preaches unity, emphasizes forming groups, but reminds you of your obligation towards the country and your family.”
He then asks what help he can be to you (for you to help your people).
The General also ensures that you are straight to the point. These meetings last depending on his interest in you, not ours.
Other meetings last 5 minutes while others go up to 3 hours of constant talking, the source says.
Depending on what you want or what you are there for, he makes some phone calls and assigns someone to handle your issue immediately (of course after listening to you).
“You get what you ask for. The general gives you what you ask for in most cases but of course he is very critical.”
Our source says Gen. Saleh meets hundreds of visitors per day. Between 50 and 100 on a normal day.
After your issue is sorted, you are guided out of the shade and your phones given back to you and you exit.
