Museveni, Besigye set to meet in Rukungiri

Dr Besigye and President Museveni. The duo last met at the burial of the ex-deputy prime minister Eriya Kategaya in March. 

By PEREZ RUMANZI & ALFRED TUMUSHABE

In Summary

Opposition leader cancels parallel event and says he will attend national Independence Day celebrations to
be presided over by the President.

Rukungiri

President Museveni and his former doctor turned political nemesis, Dr Kizza Besigye, will today meet at the National Independence celebrations in Rukungiri, a day after the head of state launched another scathing attack on his rival.

Speaking in Kampala yesterday, Mr Museveni for the second day running, attacked Dr Besigye and Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, saying they launched protests in the capital to propel chaos and turn the country into an Egypt-like situation. “We won’t allow such protests in this city,” Mr Museveni said during the commissioning of the multi-billion New Taxi Park in Kampala, adding in vernacular: “I don’t want to ruin my country to a situation like that one in Egypt.”

On Monday, during the commissioning of the Wandegeya Market in Kampala, the President had again attacked Dr Besigye and Mr Lukwago, accusing them of opposing development in the city. At today’s national celebrations in Rukungiri, whose theme is “Re-energising Uganda’s investment potential”, President Museveni will be the chief guest while Dr Besigye indicated he would attend the ceremony following a “rare” invitation by the State.

Dr Besigye, the former FDC president, also hails from Rukungiri District. If he attends today’s function, it will be the first time he graces a function organised by the government in over 10 years.

“I have been given an invitation card and will be attending as a Ugandan and as a resident of the area,” Dr Besigye told Rukungiri based Kanungu Broadcasting Services FM radio on Monday night. It will also be one of the rare occasions when the two bitter political rivals, whose fights have seen the wedge between them grow deeper by the years, appear at the same function.

The last time such an occurrence happened was during the burial of ex-deputy prime minister Eriya Kategaya in Itojo, Ntungamo in March this year. Even then, Dr Besigye, who was wearing gum-boots, had to beat the President’s security to attend the burial.

Presidency Minister Frank Tumwebaze said last evening that Dr Besigye has always been invited for national functions but chose to shun them. “If he has now realised that what he has been doing is childish, then he is welcome,” Mr Tumwebaze said. Asked about reports that Dr Besigye and other Rukungiri “sons” like Brig Henry Tumukunde and Lt Col Samson Mande would be awarded medals at today’s event, Mr Tumwebaze expressed ignorance.

FDC Women League leader Ingrid Turinawe told the Daily Monitor yesterday that the party decided to call off its parallel celebrations after they were formally invited to Rukungiri. She said the decision had been formed in part by the fact that FDC has a heavy political presence in Rukungiri and abdicating a function in its backyard would amount to political capitulation. “There is no way we can avoid the celebrations, it’s a national function and we (FDC) are the government here. We have to show that we too can,” Ms Turinawe said.

FDC dominant
The party has majority representation at the district council, and also controls the mayorship and the municipality parliamentary seat. She said the FDC intended to celebrate the life of Dr Kizza Besigye’s brother, Musasizi Kifefe, who died at Mulago hospital in 2007. Before his death, Kifefe had been detained on allegations of belonging to the People’s Redemption Army, a rebel outfit.

On the talk-show in Rukungiri, Dr Besigye maintained his criticism of the NRM government, saying it has not offered Ugandans much to celebrate. He also rallied his supporters to convene at the FDC party offices before marching with him to Rukungiri Stadium, the venue of the celebrations.

Rukungiri LC5 Chairperson Charles Byabakama said they had engaged FDC leaders in organising the celebrations, which were last held in the district in 1994. “Rukungiri is a united district. We have never had conflict. When elections were over, we decided to work together and this is what we are also doing,” Mr Byabakama said. The Mayor, Mr Charles Makuru, said all local leaders had been invited, including the opposition.

Additional Reporting by Frederic Musisi