Magosi vs Katlholo: The hunter becomes the hunted

It is a circus show in its element. A complete kiddies’ show! Even the insanely rib- cracking ‘ Tom & Jerry’ show does not come close to beating this one. As they say, the more things change, the more they remain the same.

Tymon Katholo is back at the DCEC, and so are his troubles. But if the current court developments are anything to go by, Katholo seems ready to take the fight to DIS Director- General, Brigadier Peter Magosi.

By all accounts, it does not look like it is going to be a good clean fight between the two. Typical of DavidGoliath battles, Katholo seems ready to fight the giant to the bitter end, if not a very bitter end.

And he has already successfully thrown in the first punch; a powerful uppercut that has so far left Magosi gasping for air. The match referee, Justice Reuben Lekorwe has found it fit to pre- empt the collateral damage that may arise from the bout and decided the bout will be fought “behind closed doors.”

Katlholo is surely leaving no stone unturned. He is making his intentions heard, loud and clear; he is not going to be a pushover. He is in to fight and to fight with all his might.

He has come with guns blazing and made it clear that “the DISS does not enjoy supervisory authority on the administration or operations of the DCEC and therefore has no lawful authority to forcefully demand operational information in the custody of the DCEC as it currently does.”

The clarity of this statement is equal to that deafening roar of a lion defending its territory. It does not need interpretation. Katholo does not stop there, he goes further to state that the “DCEC is currently conducting investigations involving some officers of the DISS, and some of these officers are alive to these investigations. Some of these officers are highly placed within the DISS.”

And that statement there, is a gamechanger. It is surely elevating this bout to a world championship. And the more things get interesting, the more they get messy.

But Katholo’s contender, Magosi is not an easy ride. Like Amalinze the cat, he is a “wily craftsman” and a fierce fighter. In fact, those who know him, perhaps well, often advise one to consult their gods before taking him head- on. Like Okonkwo, his fame rests on solid commando exploits.

But Katholo is also out to redeem his integrity that has been severely battered by one, France Museveni. For me, it is hard to spot a difference between the two.

But the more one tries to make sense of all these, the more they risk cardiac arrest or an impromptu accommodation at Sbrana Psychiatric Hospital. Worse off, it is hard to keep pace with all these, without risking exhaustion.

Things are moving at hyper- velocity. All we are left with is rummaging for answers in the pages and corridors of power. As a coping mechanism, I have resorted to listening to Regina Spektor, “Living in a den of thieves.”

As for the war on corruption, it was lost even before it started. Elite corruption in this country has gone beyond vocabulary. It is even surpassing pathological proportions. It is no longer a fraying at the edges of a system, it is a system failure. Corruption in this country has now become a system of governance.

Until our security sector puts on that badge with honour, courage, and dedication, then our national security would continue to be a comedy of errors. Until they put their egos and greed aside, then our national security secrets would be up for sale to any willing buyer.

The continuing leaks of its information are degenerating into a national security challenge. I mean everything ‘ secret’ about them is now in the public domain. The idea of having a state security organ was surely a noble idea.

Spying is rational behaviour. Espionage is a rational instrument of national power. Spies are a rational instrument of the state. As they say, it is just the nature of the beast. But in the DIS, it is safe to say, we are getting more than what we bargained for.

Instead of being a national asset, it has turned out to be a liability. It is overstating the obvious to say, every nation desires a bold and decisive leader.