Besigye meets aides to plot ‘diplomatic offensive’
By Timothy Nsubuga
20th June 2011:
L-R: Okwir, Besigye, and Akaki after their meeting
Reports from reliable sources have confirmed to Uganda Correspondent that Forum for Democratic Change [FDC] President Dr. Kizza Besigye, who was en-route to Entebbe from the US, briefly stopped over in London for a few hours on Saturday 11th June to meet his London based aides to plot a “diplomatic offensive” against Museveni’s regime in the whole of Europe.
The FDC leader is reported to have met and discussed detailed diplomatic strategies with FDC’s International Envoy to the United Kingdom and European Union Mr. Sam Akaki. Also in attendance at the brief London meeting was Mr. Charles Ochen Okwir, who once served as FDC’s External Country Coordinator for the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.
The strategy meeting is reported to have taken place at a quiet hotel near London’s Heathrow airport between 2-5pm on Saturday 11th June. When he was contacted for comment about the meeting he and Akaki had with Dr. Besigye, Charles Okwir declined to comment citing protocol and instead referred this reporter Sam Akaki.
FDC Envoy Sam Akaki confirmed the meeting in a telephone conversation but refused to divulge details of what the three of them discussed with the FDC President. “…There is nothing secret about our meeting with our party president. We have met him openly on several occasions in the past except that this time he only had a few hours in transit. Yes it’s true we discussed new diplomatic strategies to help complement our peaceful struggle for freedom and democracy back home. Unfortunately, I am not at liberty to give you more details”, Akaki said.
In what sounded like a hint of a tactical change of strategy by FDC, Mr. Akaki also revealed that his party leader Dr. Kizza Besigye had held a series of meetings with key opinion leaders and friends of Uganda in New York, Washington, and other parts of the US.
“…What I can tell you is that Dr. Besigye is absolutely determined to cause a democratic change in our country and ensure that all Ugandans enjoy their full democratic rights and freedoms. If the pursuit of that democratic change calls for a tactical change in our diplomatic strategy, then we shall do it”, a tough talking Akaki said.
During his two week tour of the US, Dr. Kizza Besigye appeared on Voice of America’s Straight Talk Africa programme hosted by Ugandan born Journalist Dr. Shaka Ssali and also did a number of interviews with several other American media houses including CNN.
Dr. Besigye returned to the country on the morning of Sunday 12th June in time to attend a series of court appearance stemming from the criminal charges brought against him by Museveni’s government during the ‘walk-to-work’ protests over high food and fuel prices in the country.
Last week, police and plain cloth security officers again stopped Besigye from walking from Nabweru Magistrates court to his home in Kansangati; a move which triggered a fresh standoff between the FDC leader’s supporters and security operatives.
Dr. Besigye and his “battle hardened” aides took refuge at a Church compound for a few hours where his supporters quickly formed a human ring of steel around him until he decided to drive off at about 2pm. END. Please login to www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories and anytime mid-week for our news updates.
