Uganda To Host 14 Heads Of State

By Alfred WasikeUGANDA will soon host 14 heads of state in a US$1.2m regional symposium to remember former Tanzanian President Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere’s peace efforts, mark 23 years after the fall of President Idi Amin and bolster the search for peace in the troubled Great Lakes Region.Government has assured the nation of “maximum security” following recent attacks by Sudan-based rebel Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). President Yoweri Museveni, a recent special Commonwealth award winner is in northern Uganda to assess the situation and go to Karamoja to supervise disarmament of Karimojong with illegal weapons.Defence Minister Amama Mbabazi, Basoga Nsadhu and Museveni’s Press Secretary Mary Okurut criticised the media especially some radio stations for “fanning a baseless rumour” on Wednesday night that Lt Gen Caleb Akandwanaho had died in a European hospital.She said, “I urge our media to cross-check all your stories. You should have checked with me. I spoke to Gen Saleh. He is fine and will return home after his work. I hope we do not end up abusing our airwaves. Others at the briefing in the information ministry boardroom were Igara West MP, Prof. Tarsis Kabwegyere and a former Tanzanian Inspector General of Government, Prof Joseph Mbuyiriza who are organising the symposium set for April 8-11 at the Uganda International Conference Centre. Museveni is slated to deliver some papers on the crisis in the Great Lakes Region and on economic development. “If Mwalimu Nyerere was alive today, he will be 80 years of age on April 11. We remember him especially because he mobilised Tanzania to help us shake off our dictator called Idi Amin on April 13. We have decided to host this symposium because President Museveni and Nyerere conceived this idea to seriously address peace, stability and unity,” Basoga said.ends