Besigye calls for coalition
Nov 07, 2005
Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) president Col. Kiiza Besigye has said opposition political parties should form a coalition to sweep away president Yoweri Museveni, “with all his corruption, insecurity, fear, terror, intimidation and IDP camps.â€
By Chris Ochowun and Justin Moro
Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) president Col. Kiiza Besigye has said opposition political parties should form a coalition to sweep away president Yoweri Museveni, “with all his corruption, insecurity, fear, terror, intimidation and IDP camps.â€
“All political parties that want change, peace and democracy must remain united. Any voice that comes up to divide us is a voice of betrayal and possibly the voice of Museveni,†Besigye added, drawing cheers from the LRA war victims at Awer IDP camp, who braved the afternoon downpour until he completed his speech.
Before Besigye arrived in Gulu town at 1:00pm, the anti-riot police, commanded by the district Police commander, Richard Mvule, fought running battles with Movement supporters, mainly youth, who tried to disrupt Besigye’s visit.
The police dispersed and arrested dozens of youth carrying placards reading, “Besigye leave Acholi aloneâ€, “Besigye give Acholi a chanceâ€, “Besigye where is Opoka Jamesâ€, “Besigye why support rebellionâ€.
Besigye said if FDC united with other political parties like DP and UPC, next year they shall sweep away the rampant poverty and corruption in Uganda.
“If we remain united, then we shall just get brooms and sweep poverty, corruption, insecurity, fear, intimidation and the IDP camps and people will go back to their homes. We must remain united as opposition parties to resist and fight all the fears that are being instilled in us by Museveni,†he said.
He said poverty had increased from 35% to 40% in Uganda and to 70% in the north since 2001 because the Government was full of thieves.
“FDC shall give northern Uganda first priority in its progarmme when it takes over power from the dictator, President Museveni. We have a comprehensive rehabilitation programme for northern Uganda and we shall declare northern Uganda a disaster area and lots of resources will be injected here. We shall use peaceful means to resolve the LRA conflict and call all those who are fighting in the bush to come back home.
“You cannot use tanks to bring peace in Uganda and dissolve the problems Ugandans are facing. FDC will immediately begin rebuilding the infrastructure that has been destroyed by the war and reintegrate northern Uganda into the rest of the country.
“We have the capacity and strength to do all these and your suffering here is about to end and together we shall make change,†Besigye said.
He was flanked by FDC executives Morris Ogenga Latigo, Beti Kamya, Wafula Oguttu and MPs Reagan Okumu, Kassiano Wadri and John Alumadri.
He told another gathering at Kaunda Ground in Gulu town that the little support Museveni had in 2001 had drastically reduced since most of his closest friends like Eriya Kategaya, Bidandi Ssali, Mugisha Muntu and Amanya Mushega had deserted him. “We as FDC are determined to make sure that there is no cheating in next year’s elections. Nobody will steal our votes this time. We are preparing now how to protect our votes next year.â€
Besigye lost to Museveni in the 2001 presidential polls and soon after fled to South Africa from where he recently returned after four years.
This was Besigye’s first visit to the north since he came back from exile.
Ends
Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) president Col. Kiiza Besigye has said opposition political parties should form a coalition to sweep away president Yoweri Museveni, “with all his corruption, insecurity, fear, terror, intimidation and IDP camps.â€
“All political parties that want change, peace and democracy must remain united. Any voice that comes up to divide us is a voice of betrayal and possibly the voice of Museveni,†Besigye added, drawing cheers from the LRA war victims at Awer IDP camp, who braved the afternoon downpour until he completed his speech.
Before Besigye arrived in Gulu town at 1:00pm, the anti-riot police, commanded by the district Police commander, Richard Mvule, fought running battles with Movement supporters, mainly youth, who tried to disrupt Besigye’s visit.
The police dispersed and arrested dozens of youth carrying placards reading, “Besigye leave Acholi aloneâ€, “Besigye give Acholi a chanceâ€, “Besigye where is Opoka Jamesâ€, “Besigye why support rebellionâ€.
Besigye said if FDC united with other political parties like DP and UPC, next year they shall sweep away the rampant poverty and corruption in Uganda.
“If we remain united, then we shall just get brooms and sweep poverty, corruption, insecurity, fear, intimidation and the IDP camps and people will go back to their homes. We must remain united as opposition parties to resist and fight all the fears that are being instilled in us by Museveni,†he said.
He said poverty had increased from 35% to 40% in Uganda and to 70% in the north since 2001 because the Government was full of thieves.
“FDC shall give northern Uganda first priority in its progarmme when it takes over power from the dictator, President Museveni. We have a comprehensive rehabilitation programme for northern Uganda and we shall declare northern Uganda a disaster area and lots of resources will be injected here. We shall use peaceful means to resolve the LRA conflict and call all those who are fighting in the bush to come back home.
“You cannot use tanks to bring peace in Uganda and dissolve the problems Ugandans are facing. FDC will immediately begin rebuilding the infrastructure that has been destroyed by the war and reintegrate northern Uganda into the rest of the country.
“We have the capacity and strength to do all these and your suffering here is about to end and together we shall make change,†Besigye said.
He was flanked by FDC executives Morris Ogenga Latigo, Beti Kamya, Wafula Oguttu and MPs Reagan Okumu, Kassiano Wadri and John Alumadri.
He told another gathering at Kaunda Ground in Gulu town that the little support Museveni had in 2001 had drastically reduced since most of his closest friends like Eriya Kategaya, Bidandi Ssali, Mugisha Muntu and Amanya Mushega had deserted him. “We as FDC are determined to make sure that there is no cheating in next year’s elections. Nobody will steal our votes this time. We are preparing now how to protect our votes next year.â€
Besigye lost to Museveni in the 2001 presidential polls and soon after fled to South Africa from where he recently returned after four years.
This was Besigye’s first visit to the north since he came back from exile.
Ends