Besigye documents stopped at Movt meet
Nov 28, 2000
SECURITY stopped distribution of presidential aspirant Col. (Rtd) Dr. Kiiza Besigye's campaign documents at last weekend's Movement Conference, reports Felix Osike and Grace Matsiko.
SECURITY stopped distribution of presidential aspirant Col. (Rtd) Dr. Kiiza Besigye's campaign documents at last weekend's Movement Conference, reports Felix Osike and Grace Matsiko.
Hundreds of copies were retained by security personnel after they were placed at the entrance to the Uganda International Conference, Kampala, for distribution to the Movement National Conference (MNC) delegates. But many of the delegates had already taken their copies.
The source said it was only after some of the delegates questioned why Besigye's documents were being circulated that they realised they were not documents for the conference. Some delegates said they were given copies of the documents before coming to Kampala. "They beat our security and smuggled in the papers but we eventually seized them," said the source.
The Besigye campaign office coordinator, Mr. Louis Otika, said the documents were distributed by their staff. "I only wonder what it was, it was not a bomb. It contained information which the delegates are supposed to know. We are in an information age. I believe if some one does not want certain information, you leave rather than seizing it," Otika said.
The documents had names of the delegates, including those of senior army officers.
The New Vision saw letters addressed to Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu, the acting Chief of Military (intelligence), Lt. Col. Noble Mayombo, Army spokesman Maj. Phinehas Katirima, Col. Chris Mudoola (Kigulu North) and the other delegates to the conference.
The documents included Besigye's controversial 1999 article, a detailed CV and another letter warning the delegates against endorsing President Yoweri Museveni as the Movement sole candidate. The MNC ignored his appeal and declared Museveni as 'consensus' candidate but said other candidates could stand.
Besigye's profile referred to his contribution to the NRA liberation struggle; his popularity in Rukungiri district, explanation on claims that he was ungrateful to his mentor Museveni, what inspired him to stand; his programme as president, what the Movement says about him, the position of the army regarding his candidature; his political activities between 1986/2000; and general consultation guidelines for his mobilisers.
It said Besigye views Museveni as a colleague in the struggle with whom they shared a vision and made sacrifices together.
"Dr. Besigye appreciates the contribution of Comrade Yoweri Museveni to the liberation of Uganda and to the rehabilitation and development of the country. However, he is highly convinced that President Museveni's political will to advance the Movement reform agenda run out some years ago," the document said.
On the position of the army regarding Besigye's candidacy, the document said, "The UPDF is a national army, highly politicised and would look at issues rather than personalities. To insinuate that the army belongs to and bears allegiance to an individual would be to insult their allegiance and the efforts that went into the making of the National Army that they are today."
"The Movement supporters who wish to see a Movement with a future should support him...The Movement's survival cannot forever depend on quashing and oppressing of differing opinions, otherwise it would be set to become dictatorial and unconstitutional. Movement supporters...should support him," the document said.
It said Besigye was part of the Movement achievements and had every right to claim them as much as any Movement leader.
Ends.