Category: Politics

Besigye claimed President Museveni has always had an agenda to control land, right from the time he took over power after a guerilla war in 1986.

The Former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate, Dr Kizza Besigye, has said the government’s proposal to amend the Land Act (1998) to allow government take over private strategic land without compensation, is dangerous for the country.

Campaigning for FDC candidates in Omoro District on Saturday, Dr Besigye said the proposal is a new ploy by government “to grab people’s land.”

He claimed President Museveni has always had an agenda to control land, right from the time he took over power after a guerilla war in 1986. He said when the idea was defeated in the Constituent Assembly (1994/1995) that drafted the 1995 Constitution, the President pushed it again in the Sempebwa Constitution Review Commission (2001-2002).

“The Bill that is proposed now which came out of Kyankwanzi (Cabinet retreat) is extremely dangerous. We must rise up as Ugandans to oppose this new trick orchestrated by President Museveni,” Dr Besigye said.

However, the government deputy spokesperson, Col Shaban Bantariza, dismissed Dr Besigye’s allegations as baseless.
The former FDC leader campaigned in the trading centres of Awere and Acet in Odek Sub-county and Lalogi trading centre in Lalogi Sub-county, for Mr Simon Toolit Akecha (Omoro LC5) and Ms Prossy Alanyo Owiny (Omoro Woman MP). The elections in the new district will be held on August 29.

Lands minister Betty Amongi recently said the government will soon bring to Parliament an amendment to the Land Act (1998) which will ease government takeover of private land for national development projects such as roads and other infrastructure.

When approved by Parliament, the proposed amendment will allow government to compulsorily acquire land for public works before compensating the owner.

Deserters feared repression over their ethnicity and perceived support of the opposition amid political unrest.

At least 10 officers from Burundi’s army and police force have reportedly fled the country since the beginning of this month amid ongoing repression in the country.

The group includes several senior officers.

Burundian security expert Gratien Rukindikiza put the total number of deserters at 13 and said they had fled owing to fears of repression because of their ethnicity or for being perceived as supporters of the country’s political opposition.

Human rights activists say the Hutu-dominated government of President Pierre Nkurunziza is increasingly repressing ethnic Tutsis.

Burundi has been in turmoil since Nkurunziza announced last year that he would seek a third term in office despite a constitutional two-term limit. His election victory in July 2015 unleashed a wave of political violence in which hundreds have been killed.

In May, a court handed life sentences to 21 people, including senior military officers, who had been implicated in a failed coup attempt against Nkurunziza. Dozens of soldiers have been arrested on charges of supporting the opposition, Rukindikiza, the security expert, said.

Many of the detainees belong to the minority Tutsi ethnic group.

Burundian army spokesman Gaspard Baratuza denied that the deserters had fled owing to ethnic repression or security fears, and said they were being manipulated by the opposition.

Their departure follows that of Colonel Adolphe Manirakiza, a former spokesman for the UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic, who fled Burundi in April.

Opposition leader, Dr Kizza Besigye, yesterday rejected the prospect of religious leaders and elders to lead the proposed political dialogue between the Opposition and President Museveni’s ruling NRM party.

Opposition leader, Dr Kizza Besigye, yesterday rejected the prospect of religious leaders and elders to lead the proposed political dialogue between the Opposition and President Museveni’s ruling NRM party.

He also reiterated his previous position that there must be an agreed agenda on the national dialogue before it takes place.

Dr Besigye was addressing the media at his Kasangati home in Wakiso District following an announcement by the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU)and the Elders Forum, to have a dialogue between the government and the Opposition, scheduled to start in Octobe.

Dr Besigye, said religious leaders can not be neutral arbiters and observers since they have a stake in any discussion about the country.

“In my interactions with them [religious leaders and elders], I appealed to them to take a position on what is happening in the country and therefore in the dialogue that is envisaged, I appeal to them to be an interested stakeholder. They must be seated on the table amongst other stakeholders. They can’t be a neutral party, organising and moderating and having no view in what is taking place on the table,” Dr Besigye said.

The Opposition leader and former presidential candidate also explained that matters of “justice, peace and national security” are not partisan that religious leaders and elders are obliged to play a neutral role.

“People who lead religious organisations in our country should be at the forefront of fighting injustice because all religions as we know them, their leaderships must be voices of their people,” Dr Besigye argued.

Dr Besigye said he had met the IRCU and Elders Forum team twice at his home and during his recent detention at Luzira prison.

Although he declared his commitment to dialogue, he said he did not reach any position with the team on the process of the talks.

He said he was “surprised” and “taken aback” to hear that the religious leaders and elders had started the process of dialogue and even set up a secretariat for that purpose.

“At no time have we agreed on a process in the terms that they indicated in their statement,” Dr Besigye said.

He said if the religious leaders and elders are keen to being part of the organisers of the dialogue, they have to engage with the four key issues including having a mutually agreed agenda, an agreement on who convenes and moderates the dialogue, who will be part of the dialogue and a clear understanding of how the decisions of the dialogue will be implemented.

“It is not something one wakes up and says I am going to organise this. It is not like the presidential debate where you invite candidates to come and debate. This is a far more complex, far more serious issue that a lot of ground work must be undertaken before dialogue takes place,” he said.

The religious leaders and elders early this year organised two historic presidential debates that brought together all candidates for the first time to debate ahead of the presidential election.

Since the February 18 general election, there have been several efforts led by different people to have political dialogue in the country to resolve or mitigate the animosity between the Opposition and the government.

Cord co-principal hints at need for 1990s-style agitation that brought change in Kenya.

Cord leader Raila Odinga on Friday claimed major State institutions were failures and hinted at the need for 1990s-style agitation that brought change in Kenya.

Speaking during the Law Society of Kenya’s annual conference in Diani, Kwale County, Mr Odinga asked why they had remained silent while corruption was taking root again in the country.

He painted a gloomy picture of the country since the enactment of the Constitution, saying important institutions such as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission; the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission; and the Judiciary had regressed, instead of improving.

In his written and off-the-cuff remarks, the opposition leader said even the youth were now growing up in a culture that glorifies get-rich-quick schemes without hard work and patience.

“Only six years ago, we unveiled what was easily seen as one of the most progressive constitutions in the world. Today, however, we are taking a closer look and once again we are saying we must jump-start reforms in virtually all our key governance institutions: the Judiciary, the police, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, schools, financial institutions and even the Legislature,” said Mr Odinga.

He blamed the government for the failures of the institutions, saying this was a deliberate move to scuttle change.

“Kenya is in the middle of a very necessary debate for a just, honest and caring government. All the key institutions are suffering from the impediment created by a government that is resisting change and trying to take the country back to the old order,” he said.

LIBERATE COUNTRY

Mr Odinga said the struggle to liberate the country from bad governance, corruption and mismanagement of public funds, which was started during pre-independence times and in which he has participated, should continue.

He was, however, challenged by lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi, over the recent demonstrations to force out the electoral commission members.

Mr Abdullahi asked why he had led supporters to the streets “knowing very well that it was unconstitutional”.

Mr Odinga said all attempts at dialogue had been snubbed and there was no way out.

“The Constitution provides demonstrations as the last option after all means have failed. In fact, protesters should be protected by the police to prevent hooligans from penetrating like what happened,” he said.

He added: “We got 1.6 million signatures to petition the electoral commission but they rejected 700,000 of them, claiming some looked like elephants.”

He accused the commission of manipulating and jamming the biometric voter system.

“Ten million people voted for governors, senators, MPs and MCAs, but an extra two million voted only for the President. How possible was that? Is it not strange?” he asked, quoting figures from a British firm that analysed the presidential poll results.

He said the government’s economic growth figures were untrue, saying the public debt had increased by Sh71 billion in one year.

“During the 2015/2016 financial year, debt repayment was Sh262 billion and today, it stands at Sh333 billion only a year later,” he said.

He said increased public borrowing leads to high interest rates, inflation and overburdening of future generations.

“There is a conspiracy against our people through corruption and mismanagement of resources. Kenyans today are among the highest taxed people in the world as we steal and borrow, then use the remnants on wrong priorities,” he said.

Mr Odinga urged lawyers to stand up against injustice, intimidation, bad governance, coercion, blackmail and other social vices perpetrated by the rulers.

He appealed to Kenyans to demand accountability, transparency and good social virtues.