Besigye Urges Boycott Of New Vision

Feb 15, 2001

COL. Dr. Kizza Besigye's task force has asked supporters to boycott The New Vision following a contentious story about Mbarara Municipality MP Winnie Byanyima and Hajji Nasser Sebaggala.

By Grace Matsiko COL. Dr. Kizza Besigye's task force has asked supporters to boycott The New Vision following a contentious story about Mbarara Municipality MP Winnie Byanyima and Hajji Nasser Sebaggala. The task force through its campaign coordinator, Louis Otika, said in a statement yesterday that the story, "Winnie denies Sebaggala appointment," was trying to drive a wedge between Besigye and Sebaggala. The New Vision on Thursday quoted Byanyima, who appeared on Radio West on Tuesday night, as saying, "When Col. Besigye was nominated on January 8, he released a list of campaign agents and Sebaggala was not on that list. He has never been commissioned to campaign for Besigye. The post of chief campaign agent does not exist in our task force, Sebaggala created it himself." However, in a recording The New Vision obtained, Byanyima when asked by the programme host, Johnson Musinguzi, about Sebaggala's post of chief campaigner said, "The post of chief campaign manager does not exist on our task force, Sebaggala created it himself." She said she considers Sebaggala was a person free to canvass for support for the candidate of his choice and no one could deny him that right for the reason that he was convicted for a crime. "When Col. Besigye was nominated on January 8, he released a list of campaign agents and those on his task force. The name of Hajji Sebaggala does not exist on this list. He is not on the national task force, even on the district task force. But he has decided that after looking at all the manifestos from the presidential candidates, he felt Besigye was the right person..." Byanyima said in the recorded interview. She added, "I am aware that Museveni sent many emissaries to woo Sebaggala to their camp but he refused. Sebaggala will support whoever he wants." The New Vision news editor, John Baptist Wasswa said, "We have double-checked our story. We have listened to the tape. Our story was accurate. We stand by it. We could, however, not get all Hon. Winnie Byanyima's remarks in the story yesterday." Otika said, "We call on all candidate Besigye's supporters to stop promoting this propaganda by refusing to buy The New Vision." He accused the paper of launching a campaign of hatred and malice against Besigye and his team, adding that when Besigye is elected he will work to "improve the ethical standards of the paper." He said, "Candidate Besigye appreciates the support which Hajji Nasser Sebaggala has brought to his candidate. The candidate recognises Hajji Sebaggala as an efficient campaigner with an effective campaign machinery which reaches many districts in Uganda. "Hon. Winnie Byanyima is a politician who is well- known for choosing her words very carefully. She did not at any time in the interview on Radio West refer to the title of Hajji Sebaggala on Kizza Besigye's task force," Otika said. He added, "She (Byanyima) said that Hajji Sebaggala was not a member of the task force which was launched on the day Besigye was nominated and before Hajji Sebaggala had declared his support for Dr. Besigye." A statement by Damiano Lubega, the Democratic Party acting Secretary General, said Sebaggala heads a special campaign team of party members which was formulated under section 19(3) and (5) of the Presidential Elections Act. They said the co-operation between DP and Besigye was entered into on the principles the party stands for. They said DP offered to play a complimentary role in the campaigns and pledged to use its structures at all levels to canvass support for Besigye. Otika said unlike many people in Museveni's camp, Sebaggala was a loyal member of his party and he does not jump from one band-wagon to another." Lubega said the article was meant to malign and derail the co-operation between DP and Besigye. He assured the public that the co-operation was on course and was about to deliver victory. Basoga Nsadhu, the chairman of the publicity committee for Museveni, said Byanyima's statement was a clear indication of "manipulative and treacherous politics of Besigye and his supporters." He said having realised that Sebaggala was no longer selling them in the West, they were turning against him. Nsadhu and his deputy Ofwono Opondo denied Museveni wooed Sebaggala. Ends

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