Babu met Besigye, says FDC
Oct 18, 2004
STATE minister for housing Francis Babu met Col. Kizza Besigye about a week ago in South Africa and urged him to return home, a senior Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) official has said.
Hamis Kaheru
in South Africa
STATE minister for housing Francis Babu met Col. Kizza Besigye about a week ago in South Africa and urged him to return home, a senior Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) official has said.
“I did not attend but I was coordinating the meeting and Besigye gave me a briefing afterwards,†Dr. Chris Kibuuka, the FDC coordinator for southern Africa based in South Africa and a close associate of Besigye, said by telephone. He refused to reveal the venue, but added that the meeting took place in Pretoria.
He said the meeting was attended by Prof. Owange Iraka, an FDC official based in SA, and Patrick Mugoya of the Ugandan High Commission here. The High Commissioner, Tomusange was in Kampala at the time.
Kibuuka said Babu told Besigye that President Yoweri Museveni had cleared the meeting. But Babu on Thursday denied meeting Besigye, saying the exiled former presidential candidate declined to attend the Independence Day celebrations for Ugandans in Pretoria. Babu was unavailable yesterday as his mobile telephone was on voicemail most of the day.
Sam Njuba, the FDC co-chairperson in Kampala, said he believed Kibuuka’s word, describing him as a very senior FDC official, who was constantly in contact with Besigye.
Kibuuka said Babu asked Besigye to give his concerns to the Government. Besigye told Babu that Reform Agenda (now FDC) issued the RA Charter, which contained their proposals on the way to full democracy.
Besigye told Babu that they had given a copy of the Reform Agenda Charter to the United States Secretary of State, Mr. Colin Powel and to President Museveni and that the Government, therefore, knew their views.
Ends
in South Africa
STATE minister for housing Francis Babu met Col. Kizza Besigye about a week ago in South Africa and urged him to return home, a senior Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) official has said.
“I did not attend but I was coordinating the meeting and Besigye gave me a briefing afterwards,†Dr. Chris Kibuuka, the FDC coordinator for southern Africa based in South Africa and a close associate of Besigye, said by telephone. He refused to reveal the venue, but added that the meeting took place in Pretoria.
He said the meeting was attended by Prof. Owange Iraka, an FDC official based in SA, and Patrick Mugoya of the Ugandan High Commission here. The High Commissioner, Tomusange was in Kampala at the time.
Kibuuka said Babu told Besigye that President Yoweri Museveni had cleared the meeting. But Babu on Thursday denied meeting Besigye, saying the exiled former presidential candidate declined to attend the Independence Day celebrations for Ugandans in Pretoria. Babu was unavailable yesterday as his mobile telephone was on voicemail most of the day.
Sam Njuba, the FDC co-chairperson in Kampala, said he believed Kibuuka’s word, describing him as a very senior FDC official, who was constantly in contact with Besigye.
Kibuuka said Babu asked Besigye to give his concerns to the Government. Besigye told Babu that Reform Agenda (now FDC) issued the RA Charter, which contained their proposals on the way to full democracy.
Besigye told Babu that they had given a copy of the Reform Agenda Charter to the United States Secretary of State, Mr. Colin Powel and to President Museveni and that the Government, therefore, knew their views.
Ends