The government should stop harassing presidential aspirants from communicating their message to the people. Campaign speeches and strategies requires that the incumbent account for his time in office and justify why the electorate should send him back to state house. From the tone of the police insisting that Mr Otunnu report to CID headquarters for interrogation about statement made during the campaign there is indication that the state is misusing its power to intimidate opponents of the sitting president.
Supposing Mr Otunnu were to report for interrogation, how would the police proceed? Are they going to ask him to give proof of what he said? What kind of proof would one need for recording an observation of actions of the principals in the LRA/NRA war that has destroyed northern Uganda for the last twenty three years? Who is the complainant and what is the complaint? If it is Museveni, the president of Uganda, then we would like to see the formal complaints filed either by him or on his behalf. The police should avoid taking actions that will cast the force in bad lights in the eyes of the public. Unless we find out what has been causing the continuous war and destruction of properties of the people of Uganda, we cannot expect to move forward in peace as one nation.
Not long ago Gen. David Tinyefuza threatened to "crush" Otunnu if he brings that sensitive issue of 'who killed who' in Luwero and northern Uganda; suggesting that Otunnu can only speak at the pleasure of the NRA. This is intimidation and contrary to the spirit of why they the NRA took to the bush. Whichever way you look at it, no crime has been committed and there is nothing that should have forced the CID to come scurrying for Mr Otunnu.
This period of campaign should mark the maturity reached by the police force since the NRM/A ascended to power to liberate the people of Uganda. Every candidate must be accorded the highest protection at this time. As a candidate, Museveni has made very serious allegation against other contestant but he has never been asked to report to CID headquarters for interrogation. Every contestant should be viewed as future head of state and hence future commander of all forces in Uganda. His experience during this campaign period could affect what he will do to the forces when elected by the people. We need to avoid leadership that behave as if they own the country because such leaders will not serve the people.
At the moment, we the people observing the actions of the Uganda police from all over the world, condemn the acts of intimidation being shown to the opposition presidential candidates as acts of lawlessness not befitting the national police.
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2 comments:
dear author, with all due respect i would have appreciated if you had included the words side along with your article so that us who visit your blog can get a balanced opinion. we at home feel let down by current regime, but at the same time our options in the opposition are just inclined at entering state house than solving the country!!! In my own opinion,i feel Mr.Otunnu's statements were geered at gaining popularity or a nothern vote. we expect an aspiring head of state to also also make responsible statements backed by substantial evidence. but for him to claim the museveni/part of UPDF intentionaly kept the war going intentionally for their own gain is very irresponsible esp. coming from an aspiring head of state/ comander in chief....and that's where the police comes
Do you really feel that the statement about investigating what happened in Luwero and northern Uganda is for the purpose of gaining popularity?
What kind of change are you looking for?
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