Besigye woos Muslims

PRESIDENTIAL aspirant Col. Kiiza Besigye has appealed to the Muslim community in Uganda to help him remove President Yoweri Museveni from power in the coming elections, reports Grace Matsiko. Besigye, in a message yesterday to the Muslims at the end of the Holy Month of Ramadhan, wished them happy celebrations and New Year. The message was sent through his campaign office coordinator, Louis Otika. "He (Besigye) calls upon them to work together with him for building peace, accountability, democracy, poverty eradication, economic development and access to equitable social services" Otika said on behalf of Besigye yesterday. Otika, when asked what the message to the Muslims meant, said, "We are asking them for their votes. Long live Muslims, long live Uganda." On Friday, Museveni also a presidential aspirant, hosted over 100 Muslim leaders led by the deputy Mufti, Sheikh Twaibu Mukuye, to a dinner to break the fast at State House, Nakasero. He told Muslims that they had an equal share in government and appealed to their colleagues fighting in the Allied Democratic Forces to lay down their arms because they are "wasting the nation's time, resources and risking their lives." Otika told The New Vision that Besigye's team was yesterday drafting a programme to cover parts of the country he has not visited. He promised to release the programme by the end of this week. Besigye last week visited Gulu, Nebbi, Arua and Eastern Uganda for consultations with the population over his candidacy. Ends