UPDF poses no threat - Besigye

By Felix Osike and Alfred Wasike PRESIDENTIAL aspirant Col. (Rtd) Kiiza Besigye yesterday said the army would not pose any threat if President Yoweri Museveni lost the coming elections. He also said President Museveni had no army to handover as had been alluded to by some senior Movement politicians. "Don't have fears about this institution. It is not going to be used to abuse the legitimate interest of Ugandans or the political will of this country," Besigye told MPs who sought to know whether he was capable of handling the army. Besigye was yesterday meeting MPs at Lions Centre, Sheraton Hotel. "The position is that comrade Museveni has no army to hand over. The UPDF is a national army, which is supposed to be regulated by Parliament. But it is being run arbitrarily, contrary to the existing law," he said. He repeatedly urged the MPs to support his cause by mobilising the population for a change. He also promised to enter dialogue with the multipartyists and to return the country to the right democratic path. Besigye asked political leaders to stand firm and resist intimidation by government forces. He rapped MPs who feared to attend his meeting. He said Article 269 of the Constitution was transitional and would lapse with the passing of the Political Organisations Bill. Present at the four-hour meeting were NRM historicals, Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu, Brig (Rtd) Matayo Kyaligonza, Maj. John Kazoora. Besigye's wife, Winnie Byanyima took a seat in the audience packed by supporters. Over 100 people attended the meeting, including 38 MPs. The MPs asked Besigye to react to several issues, including statements published in the Sunday Vision attributed to local government minister Bidandi Ssali about the army. Bidandi Ssali was quoted by the paper as saying last week that the army was not yet ready to hand over power to an elected president. Ends.