Legislators should not be compromised when advocating for peace.
This call was made by Kabale mayor Pius Ruheremuna, while opening an inter-regional parliamentary conference on peace in the town.
He said the many conflicts in the region were an indicator of failure of leaders to champion the cause of peace.
The mayor asked the participants to address problems that lead to conflicts.
The conference opened on Friday and drew 45 participants from Burundi, Rwanda, DR Congo, Kenya, Zambia and Uganda.
It was organized by AMANI, a group that brings together MPs from the great lakes region to discuss peace.
AMANI’s regional chairman Shumina Mwitila said there were many threats to the prevailing peace in the region as seen in the presence of armed groups and militias.
He cited the war in northern Uganda and the conflicts in DR Congo as examples of security challenges in the region.
He challenged the participants to safeguard the peace in the region, saying it was hard earned.
The conference was aimed at educating MPs on the current state of peace and stability.
It also sought to find ways of influencing policies on war and peace in the great lakes region.
Gulu LC5 chief Norbert Mao told the participants that wars in the region were a result of poverty and greed by the politicians.
He said leaders were not willing to end poverty so that they could continue wielding influence over them with donations.
