Lukyamuzi's advice is intoxicating

By John Kamya The statements alleged to have been made by Hon. Ken Lukyamuzi at Najjanankumbi urging Ugandans to get ready with machetes and cut all non- Ugandans who show up at the polling day to vote are both unfortunate and highly criminal. So are Alhaji Sebaggala's statements urging people to cane such non Ugandans with sticks. The danger of such statements cannot be underestimated having seen what happened in Rwanda when political leaders made similar statements on an F.M radio and acts of genocide were actually carried out. When Lukyamuzi makes such statements and deceives people he should have known that some people are bound to believe him because he is a legislator and a respected learned member of society, and people may commit such acts thinking they are constitutionally protected, which, is wrong. None would wish to see non-Ugandans vote to decide our political destiny. The laws actually do not allow such people to vote. What Lukyamuzi would have advised people would be to report suspected foreigners to relevant authorities immediately they are seen trying to vote, so that they can be arrested and the law can take its own course. Probably what Lukyamuzi and Sebaggala would have known is that uttering such statements was unlawful and prohibited by the law as they can incite violence. Sec. 76 B (1) of the penal code Act states: "Any person who incites any person to do an act of violence against any person by reason of his race, place of origin, political opinion,colour, creed, sex or office, commits an offence and shall be liable, on conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years" Our presidential elections Act 2000 also addresses the issue of violence when Sec 26 (1) states: "No person shall, during campaigning use any language which is defamatory or which constitutes incitement to public disorder, hatred or violence" and such a person commits an offence and is liable to a fine of sh1.6m or imprisonment for two years or both. Many people seem to agree that Lukyamuzi's and Sebaggala's statements were inciting violence. It would be very dangerous to allow people decide issues of nationality on mere sight of an individual and urge them to arrive at judgement using the jungle law and administer the punishment using machetes. I hope Lukyamuzi knows that there are people of white race who are Ugandans by citizenship. We also have many Indian Ugandans, Sudanese Ugandans, Somali Ugandans and Rwandese Ugandans, to mention but a few. Banyarwanda is even a recognised tribe among the tribes of Uganda, according to our constitution. But our people, when misinformed by the likes of Lukyamuzi, can end up lynching such innocent people. Other people may even use the voting to settle scores with their long time enemies by branding them foreigners and cut them with machetes, in which even Lukyamuzi himself or his relatives and friends may fall victims. Lukyamuzi's utterances should be condemned in the strongest terms possible and all I can say is that his "advice' should be ignored. Anybody who attempts to do any act of violence on the voting day will be arrested and prosecuted. Ends