Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party has accused President Yoweri Museveni and Special Forces Command (SFC) commander Maj Gen Don William Nabasa of beating war drums.
Adddressing reporters at party headquarters at Najjanankumbi in Kampala on Monday, FDC spokesperson Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda said the party was “is concerned with war drums being sounded by Mr Museveni and the commander of… Special Forces Command (SFC)”.
Ssemujju quoted recent statements by Museveni and Maj Gen Nabasa to justify FDC’s concerns.
Museveni told Ugandans attending the Tarehe Sita event in Kitgum that “nobody can disturb our peace”.
“Anyone who thinks of destabilizing Uganda will destroy himself; the UPDF is strong and well equipped to secure Uganda from many forces of destabilization.”
On February 12, while speaking during the 38th SFC and UPDAF (Uganda People’s Defence Air Force) Tarehe Sita celebrations at the 10th Battalion headquarters in Entebbe at the start of last week, Maj Gen Nabasa said, “External forces are looking and they don’t want us to develop. We have the oil here, beauty of the Country, stability, development, and above all a precious leader. They think may be if they get the precious leader out, there will be disorganization. Please don’t go on that path, it’s a wrong path. Don’t let them use you.”
“They won’t come physically, but if they come here, it will be the best because we are very ready for them. Unfortunately they will not come. They will send money and people like the ones of late being deported, to mobilize the youth because they have the man power here and the youth are very easy to convince. Please, talk to them and they see that the stability in their country is their future.”
Now FDC is worried that the Museveni’s and Nabasa’s statements are sounding war drum, especially in light of deportations of four MTN Uganda officials, including hitherto CEO Wim Vanhelleputte.
“The MTN employees being deported and being referred to here, are mainly citizens of two sister countries, neighboring Rwanda and South Africa,” observed Ssemujju.
“Mr. Museveni and his commanders must tell the country whether we are at the brink of war with Rwanda and South Africa. What is the cause of all this.”
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The FDC is concerned that “tension between Uganda and its neighbors has a lot of ramifications”.
“Remember as result of similar tension, Mr. Museveni last year pulled out of the Africa free-trade area summit in Kigali. The Rwandan president Kagame had earlier skipped the East African Community Summit in Kampala,” said Ssemujju.
“At the time Rwanda was accusing Uganda of harassing it citizens and Museveni had just arrested senior police officers for facilitating illegal extradition of refugees to Kigali.”
The largest opposition political party is now preaching peace between Uganda and her neighbors.
“While Don Nabasa is ready for war, citizens of Uganda are not ready. Procurement of military hardware and training should not excite soldiers into war. We should pursue dialogue and peace with neighbors and everybody,” said the FDC mouthpiece.
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