Ugandan: Crackdown My Spark Uprising

The MP warned that events that took Museveni to the bush to fight the regimes of Milton Obote and General Okello, may once again force Ugandans to revert to the use of the gun in order to restore true democracy.

 

A leading Ugandan opposition Member of Parliament says the rule of law has completely broken down in the country and that conditions may spark an anti-government uprising.

Beti Olive Kamya, who represents Rubaga North constituency in Uganda’s Parliament for the main opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC)  party, told Ugandans living in the United Kingdom President Yoweri Museveni who holds the record of leading Uganda—he has been president since 1986—is holding the country to ransom by being the judge and prosecutor of all laws in the country.

Speaking to Ugandans here in London, she said recent events in the country that saw the judiciary and lawyers go on strike accusing the Museveni government of interfering in their work, was the result of many years of misgovernment in which President Museveni has concentrated all power in his hands and his very close circle of friends.

She warned that events that took Museveni to the bush to fight the regimes of Milton Obote and General Okello, may once again force Ugandans to revert to the use of the gun in order to restore true democracy. “Museveni decides who should and shouldn’t be bailed in courts of law,” she said. “He orders the arrests of his opponents with impunity and chooses who can go to the gallows and who can be pardoned. The courts have been rendered useless.”

In an unprecedented move, Uganda’s law courts two weeks ago refused to operate, demanding an apology from the country’s executive over the manner in which orders by law courts were being undermined and ignored by the executive. This was the first time in the country’s history that such an action has ever been taken.

Kamya accused President Museveni of running the country as if he owned it. “He has placed all senior government posts in the hands of his cronies. State House has been turned into a mini government department, housing small offices manned by his closest cronies who oversee the running of government departments,” she revealed.

Government ministers, she added, are often overruled by men from these State House offices who seem to run the whole country at the bequest of the President. On the assumption by western states that Museveni, once described as “the darling of the West” has restored peace and tranquility in the country, Kamya said recent events in the country have shown the true colors of President Museveni. “Now that people no longer fear to criticize him, he is turning nasty and showing his dark and true side,” she said.

John Kawanga, one of Uganda’s longest serving MPs, appealed to Ugandans in the Diaspora to use their influence in letting Western leaders know what a wrong horse they are backing. “Let your Congressmen, Senators and MPs know the truth about Uganda. Be in touch with us to fill you in with what is going on in the country and use your privileges on living in a free world to bring the attention of lawmakers in this country to understand better what is happening in Uganda.”

A visit to London by President Museveni that was scheduled to take place this month is said to have been cancelled after it was learned that the president may face embarrassing questions over the beating up of a Ugandan based in London by Museveni’s security men.

Rashid Kasaato, who was beaten up by Museveni’s bodyguards after he questioned the president over his boasts that his regime had transformed Uganda, has since filed a lawsuit with British police. Authorities now want to question the president and his bodyguards over this incident.

Also present at the meet Ugandans session were MPs Kyanjo of Makindye and Naggayi Sempala of Kampala.


Gombya reports for The Black Star News from U.K.


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