Obote to enjoy full privileges

By Alfred Wasike

EXILED Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) leader, Apollo Milton Obote is welcome to his homeland and will enjoy the full benefits of a former head of state, the Government has said.

Internal affairs minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda said yesterday, “Milton Obote is welcome home. He will enjoy the benefits of a former head of state which include security, accommodation, transport and support staff.”

Meanwhile, as the UPC prepares Obote’s May 27 return from Zambia, the party has demanded that the Government renovates his homes.

Obote, who will turn 80 this December, has lived in Zambia since June 25, 1985. Before that, he returned to Uganda through Bushenyi to be president for the second time, on May 27, 1980 from Tanzania, where he had lived after he was ousted on January 25, 1971.

Information state minister Dr. James Nsaba Buturo had earlier expressed ignorance about preparations for the party’s life-long leader.

“There has been no formal communication from the UPC. We have only read it in the newspapers. But Obote is free to return like any other Ugandan,” he said.

UPC defacto leader Dr. James Rwanyarare told
journalists in Kampala yesterday, “At its meeting on 23rd March, 2005, the presidential policy commission resolved to arrange the return of UPC party president, Dr. Apollo Milton Obote. This will be at the initiative and terms of the party.

We have planned May 27, 2005 as the day for the return and we will decide the venue of arrival and all extra arrangements.”

Rwanyarare said dictatorship still existed in Uganda “but several strides have been made in re-establishing multiparty democracy and we believe Milton Obote’s return will help in dismantling the remaining obstacles to true multiparty democracy, because democracy means the end of dictatorship.”

“Our leader has been president of Uganda twice. He is entitled to all amenities provided for in the law.

We don’t have to be thankful because he is entitled to them. His houses in Lira and Kampala at 20 Impala Avenue (Kololo) were occupied by the army and should be renovated and handed over to him,” Rwanyarare said.

He added, “There is going to be deep-seated hatred based on justifiable causes if the reparations are not done. By the way, inspite of Museveni’s threats in 1997 when he was opening Hotel Africana that he would shoot Obote on sight, our leader is coming home.”

He criticised the USA and the European Union for supporting Museveni’s Government. “They have been dealing with the wrong person. They should support freedom fighters like ourselves, the political parties, NGOs, religious leaders, with moral and material assistance.”

He said UPC had drawn up a plan to cover Uganda, which Lira Municipality MP Cecilia Atim Ogwal would spearhead as the PPC mobilisation committee.

He rubbished the new alliance between Nasser Sebaggala and David Pulkol describing it as “divisive to the opposition.”