By Godfrey Kimono

THE Minister for disaster Preparedness, Prof. Tarcis Kabwegyere, has asked political parties to spread the gospel of reconciliation countrywide.

“Let us get more people on board to reconcile others and stop digging up bones and running with them on the streets to get favours. This brings disunity among the people, hence hindering development.”

Kabwegyere said this at a three-day civil society consultative conference on national reconciliation, organised by a coalition of organisations and institutions working towards sustainable reconciliation in the country.

He said parties that exhume bones to win popularity among the people waste their time and delay the reconciliation process.
Members agreed that good governance and leadership and solving of land and water crisis can led to national reconciliation.

Dr. Alex Nkabahona, the coordinator of the peace and conflict studies programme at Makerere University, said a draft bill for National Reconciliation would soon be presented to Parliament for approval.

“If approved, the bill will work as a legal framework that will establish organs like the reconciliation commission, and the declaration of a national healing day or week for people to commemorate and to forgive others.” Nkabahona said.

The delegates recommended that the government establish a reconciliation commission to look through points of conflict in a bid to foster unity and development in the country.