Museveni will win in Acholi this time
Dec 29, 2005
Security minister Betty Akech is the vice chairperson of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Women’s League in charge of northern Uganda. <b>James Odong</b> sounded her out on whether this time round they will deliver the north to NRM<br><br>
The north in general and Acholi in particular is known for voting against the Movement. How do you intend to deliver the region to NRM?
The Acholi people have been voting against the Movement not because they hate President Yoweri Museveni or the system, but because our detractors have for long made our people to almost believe that the government was waging war against them. Over time, especially in the last one year, security has greatly improved.
The rebels have been driven away, resulting into a lot of positive changes towards NRM the party and President Museveni the leader because he is seen to be working for peace.
The implementation of the amnesty law has been largely successful. Under this law captured or rescued combatants including their leaders and commanders like Brig. Kenneth Banya and Cols. Sam Kolo and Onen Kamdulu have been pardoned. This has sent out very clear signals and undoubted demonstrations that the government is actually in for peace and if they surrender, nothing would happen to them. The reintegration of those who are willing and qualified into the national army shows that the government is more than willing to work with former rebels.
So the situation in the north has changed, the attitude has changed and most of our people now correctly see President Museveni as genuine in his peace overtures.
Our people have now come to understand that the war in Acholi was not being waged by the president as they have for long been made to believe by our detractors but that the war is being waged against us by our own sons and daughters.
They are now seeing peace. People can now walk to far off places in search of firewood, food and other necessities, something which was unheard of previously.
The small resurgence we are seeing now is related to the dry season. Some detractors also continue to tell the rebels to hit at soft targets to show they are still around and a force to reckon with. There are also people benefiting from the war and this includes the rebels themselves, a few in the affected community, perpetrators of ghost soldiers in the UPDF, politicians who use the war as campaign platforms, religious leaders, the so-called peace negotiators and some NGOs.
We really need to maintain the momentum to push LRA to the corner. The opposition will soon have nothing to say because they have deceived our people long enough. My very conservative estimate is that my candidate and the party are poised to win over 50% of the votes in Acholi this time.
How can people exercise their democratic rights freely given the appalling conditions in the IDP camps?
The situation of having camps is not something to be happy about because it has weakened our cultural fabric and created a dependency syndrome amongst our people.
However, the situation would have been worse if people didn’t go to the camps because UPDF is protecting the population in the camps. People now see hope in decongestion of camps because that process is moving them closer to their original homes. I appeal to them to vote for the same man who brought them to the camps and protected them so that he is the one to take them back with packages. A new person would not know how much they have suffered. Despite problems, the people have known the truth because they have realised that they have been deceived enough. Government has tried to give whatever is necessary.
How will the state ensure security during elections?
We realise that in the past LRA scare was used to threaten our people into voting for the opposition but now that the security situation is improving, government is determined to ensure that people in the north/IDP camps are secure so that they can vote freely without fear or favour.
What is your take on the recently announced aid cut and the re-channelling of part of it for humanitarian assistance to the north?
The cutting of aid is politically motivated. While I appreciate that it will benefit people in the camps in terms of humanitarian assistance, the timing of the cut is suspect. The channelling of the aid to our people may be construed as trying to alienate northern Uganda from the mainstream government. We are also aware that some of these donors are directly financing the opposition. The western powers’ concept of democracy in Africa is that the incumbents must lose and once they win then the polls are deemed not free and fair. They don’t even believe that these incumbents have worked for their re-elections. Political accountability is now with the people and being re-elected means you have met some of the expectations of your people.
Isn’t the issuing of an international arrest warrant by ICC against the LRA top commanders undermining the peace process?
No. The government has given these people enough time to respond to peace offers. Our assessment is that they are not serious as you can see from the talk of peace talks again. This is becoming routine for the LRA during dry seasons. Whoever is genuinely concerned about the conflict in the north should support ICC.
My only wish is that all governments neighbouring Uganda respect the ICC warrant of arrest and do their best to arrest these people.
Ends
The Acholi people have been voting against the Movement not because they hate President Yoweri Museveni or the system, but because our detractors have for long made our people to almost believe that the government was waging war against them. Over time, especially in the last one year, security has greatly improved.
The rebels have been driven away, resulting into a lot of positive changes towards NRM the party and President Museveni the leader because he is seen to be working for peace.
The implementation of the amnesty law has been largely successful. Under this law captured or rescued combatants including their leaders and commanders like Brig. Kenneth Banya and Cols. Sam Kolo and Onen Kamdulu have been pardoned. This has sent out very clear signals and undoubted demonstrations that the government is actually in for peace and if they surrender, nothing would happen to them. The reintegration of those who are willing and qualified into the national army shows that the government is more than willing to work with former rebels.
So the situation in the north has changed, the attitude has changed and most of our people now correctly see President Museveni as genuine in his peace overtures.
Our people have now come to understand that the war in Acholi was not being waged by the president as they have for long been made to believe by our detractors but that the war is being waged against us by our own sons and daughters.
They are now seeing peace. People can now walk to far off places in search of firewood, food and other necessities, something which was unheard of previously.
The small resurgence we are seeing now is related to the dry season. Some detractors also continue to tell the rebels to hit at soft targets to show they are still around and a force to reckon with. There are also people benefiting from the war and this includes the rebels themselves, a few in the affected community, perpetrators of ghost soldiers in the UPDF, politicians who use the war as campaign platforms, religious leaders, the so-called peace negotiators and some NGOs.
We really need to maintain the momentum to push LRA to the corner. The opposition will soon have nothing to say because they have deceived our people long enough. My very conservative estimate is that my candidate and the party are poised to win over 50% of the votes in Acholi this time.
How can people exercise their democratic rights freely given the appalling conditions in the IDP camps?
The situation of having camps is not something to be happy about because it has weakened our cultural fabric and created a dependency syndrome amongst our people.
However, the situation would have been worse if people didn’t go to the camps because UPDF is protecting the population in the camps. People now see hope in decongestion of camps because that process is moving them closer to their original homes. I appeal to them to vote for the same man who brought them to the camps and protected them so that he is the one to take them back with packages. A new person would not know how much they have suffered. Despite problems, the people have known the truth because they have realised that they have been deceived enough. Government has tried to give whatever is necessary.
How will the state ensure security during elections?
We realise that in the past LRA scare was used to threaten our people into voting for the opposition but now that the security situation is improving, government is determined to ensure that people in the north/IDP camps are secure so that they can vote freely without fear or favour.
What is your take on the recently announced aid cut and the re-channelling of part of it for humanitarian assistance to the north?
The cutting of aid is politically motivated. While I appreciate that it will benefit people in the camps in terms of humanitarian assistance, the timing of the cut is suspect. The channelling of the aid to our people may be construed as trying to alienate northern Uganda from the mainstream government. We are also aware that some of these donors are directly financing the opposition. The western powers’ concept of democracy in Africa is that the incumbents must lose and once they win then the polls are deemed not free and fair. They don’t even believe that these incumbents have worked for their re-elections. Political accountability is now with the people and being re-elected means you have met some of the expectations of your people.
Isn’t the issuing of an international arrest warrant by ICC against the LRA top commanders undermining the peace process?
No. The government has given these people enough time to respond to peace offers. Our assessment is that they are not serious as you can see from the talk of peace talks again. This is becoming routine for the LRA during dry seasons. Whoever is genuinely concerned about the conflict in the north should support ICC.
My only wish is that all governments neighbouring Uganda respect the ICC warrant of arrest and do their best to arrest these people.
Ends