By Suleman Mugula

“He was meticulous”, that was one of the remarks from one pro-Mengo gentleman who attended the evening interaction of Ugandans and the newly elected IPC Presidential candidate for the 2011 elections Dr. Kizza Besigye in Johannesburg-South Africa.

After thanking all Ugandans in the Diaspora for their continued support for the struggle for democracy, human rights, and social justice in Uganda, Dr. Besigye went ahead with updating the audience on the latest political developments in the country especially as regards the preparations for the forth coming 2011 general elections.

He assured the audience that regardless of the setback of the withdrawal of UPC from the Inter Party Cooperation, the alliance was growing stronger and all members are working hard to ensure that the IPC wins the elections decisively.  He added that the remaining members of the IPC had a lot in agreement with the UPC but the contentious issue that could not be agreed on was the boycott of the 2011 elections.

While all the parties agreed on the rejection of the Electoral Commission and on the need to mount campaigns against the EC until Mr. Museveni is forced to withdraw it, we could not agree on the boycott.  Apart from the UPC, other parties agreed that boycotting the Election would amount to giving Museveni a blank Cheque especially when other political parties regardless of their size decide to participate.

The major challenge is not in convincing Ugandans to vote for change but rather it is in reaching out to them to remove the fear that the NRM regime has instilled in them and continues to instil in them.

Otherwise the people are tired of the predatory and patriarchal regime of Mr.  Museveni.  He noted that in his nationwide visits, he has witnessed some unbelievable poverty which Ugandans are enduring compared to the opulent lives the leadership of NRM are enjoying.

On the state sponsored rigging machinery, Dr Besigye noted that all elections held since 1996 have been marred by rigging and other irregularities but each one of them has generated some positive aspects for the opposition.

The opposition has learnt its lessons; it is now better prepared to prevail even with the disgraced Electoral Commission.  Even with partisan Electoral Commissions, the support of Mr. Museveni has been progressively declining with the many developments since 2006.  There is no way Museveni can garner anything remotely close to 50% of the national vote tally now, Besigye reiterated.

While responding to a question from the audience, Dr Besigye also spelt out, as clearly as he could, FDC’s and IPC’s policy position on the question of federalism.  He said “federalism was not a debatable issue.  Unless the people of Uganda change their minds, it is a must”.

The Odoki Commission did a comprehensive job where it sought the views of Ugandans all over the country, and the Commission found that 67% of all Ugandans supported federalism; in Buganda it was nearly 100% support of a federal government.  He noted that it would therefore be wrong for his government to stand in the way of the wishes of the people of Buganda for their Ebyaffe.

He said as a person, as President of FDC, and as IPC flag bearer, he sees no justice in denying the Baganda their properties.  If the Indians were given theirs, then why can’t the Baganda be given theirs; he reiterated amidst applause from the audience.

On corruption, Dr Besigye, explained that corruption and nepotism have run out of hand and have rendered the country a failed state.  He noted that a failed state is a country where almost all institutions of government have become dysfunctional.

He pointed out that without rooting out corruption, Uganda cannot move anywhere.  The most unfortunate thing, Besigye said, is that in Uganda today, corruption starts from the top.  There is no hope that the government under Museveni could ever fight and defeat corruption.

Asked whether he himself had not done anything corrupt since he was once part of the NRM which started corruption, Dr Besigye replied and said all his assets are declared.  He said he legally obtained whatever he owns and that he has always called on anybody who has evidence of corruption by him to come out in public.

He further suggested that if he was corrupt in anyway, the NRM government would have been the first to use such evidence to discredit his candidature for the presidency of Uganda.  He noted that he knows so many of his former combatants who entered Kampala with nothing but have now amassed unimaginable wealth.

Because of that, Dr. Besigye said, he feels that he is in a very strong position to confront all of them because he knows what each one of them owned as they entered Kampala.  To be continued…… If it’s Monday, it’s Uganda Correspondent.  Never miss out again!