An appeal to Besigye

SIR— I listened to Monitor F.M’s Mwenda Live on August 19. I was touched by the interview with Dr Kizza Besigye who said that Uganda is undemocratic and has failed to eliminate the LRA in the northern Uganda. I disagree with Besigye for the following reasons. Uganda is a democratic country. The rule of law exists. There are regular elections from village to parliamentary and presidential elections. In 2001, Besigye contested in presidential race and he lost. He challenged the result in the Constitutional Court, where he was also defeated. During dictatorships, it was too hard to take the government to court; yet this has happened under the Movement. On the LRA, the Government has done its best to fight off Kony. The UPDF has recovered over 1,000 children abducted by the LRA. The President has also set off a peace process, besides the Amnesty Act, to help make the LRA see the reason for calm in the north. I ask Besigye to re-concile with the government instead of saying, “I will come back by whatever means.”
Saidi Lwanga
Uganda Young Movement