Don’t sue Obote or the Monitor
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni is threatening to sue the Monitor and former president Milton Obote for alleging that the NRA was responsible for the civilian killings in Luwero. This would be a mistake.
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni is threatening to sue the Monitor and former president Milton Obote for alleging that the NRA was responsible for the civilian killings in Luwero. This would be a mistake.
It is common knowledge that the UNLA was guilty of mass murder in the Luwero Triangle between 1981 and 1985.
This was well-documented at the time by Amnesty International, the US State Department and many other international bodies.
After the NRA takeover in 1986, Luwero residents, who survived, recounted their experiences.
Everyone blamed the UNLA for the deaths of up to 300,000 civilians. No-one blamed the NRA.
The only people who claimed that the NRA was responsible for the killings were Obote and a few UPC fanatics.
No-one takes Obote’s allegations seriously. Obote himself probably does not believe them. He just wants to whip up controversy and confusion.
If President Museveni goes ahead to sue the Monitor, he will be falling into Obote’s trap of having to justify himself when he has done nothing wrong. Museveni should merely treat Obote’s allegations with the contempt that they deserve.
Mudslinging, regrettably, is part of the dirty business of politics.
You cannot escape it even if you are an upright statesman. Suffering false insults is an occupational hazard for politicians.
If politicians start suing every time they are unfairly insulted, the courts will soon become clogged up with defamation cases.
MPs would sue the former Vice-President for saying that they have smelly socks. Katuntu would sue the President for saying he was a poisonous mushroom.
Ssemogerere would sue Otafiire for saying he should retire and rear ducks.
It is not worth Museveni’s time suing the Monitor and Obote.
No-one believes Obote and there is a danger that this libel suit could prompt politicians to start suing their detractors over the slightest criticisms.
In the end, this would stifle debate and accountability in Uganda’s political culture.
It is common knowledge that the UNLA was guilty of mass murder in the Luwero Triangle between 1981 and 1985.
This was well-documented at the time by Amnesty International, the US State Department and many other international bodies.
After the NRA takeover in 1986, Luwero residents, who survived, recounted their experiences.
Everyone blamed the UNLA for the deaths of up to 300,000 civilians. No-one blamed the NRA.
The only people who claimed that the NRA was responsible for the killings were Obote and a few UPC fanatics.
No-one takes Obote’s allegations seriously. Obote himself probably does not believe them. He just wants to whip up controversy and confusion.
If President Museveni goes ahead to sue the Monitor, he will be falling into Obote’s trap of having to justify himself when he has done nothing wrong. Museveni should merely treat Obote’s allegations with the contempt that they deserve.
Mudslinging, regrettably, is part of the dirty business of politics.
You cannot escape it even if you are an upright statesman. Suffering false insults is an occupational hazard for politicians.
If politicians start suing every time they are unfairly insulted, the courts will soon become clogged up with defamation cases.
MPs would sue the former Vice-President for saying that they have smelly socks. Katuntu would sue the President for saying he was a poisonous mushroom.
Ssemogerere would sue Otafiire for saying he should retire and rear ducks.
It is not worth Museveni’s time suing the Monitor and Obote.
No-one believes Obote and there is a danger that this libel suit could prompt politicians to start suing their detractors over the slightest criticisms.
In the end, this would stifle debate and accountability in Uganda’s political culture.