Besigye vows to join ‘Walk to Work’ march today
By George Murumba
11th April 2011
Dr. Besigye waving to supporters
Forum for Democratic Change [FDC] Party President Dr. Kizza Besigye is among top opposition leaders who are expected to lead other aggrieved Ugandans today in a ‘Walk to Work’ protest march over the spiralling cost of living in Uganda.
A reliable source at FDC Headquarters in Najjanankumbi on Entebbe Road has told Uganda Correspondent that Dr. Besigye and John Ken Lukyamuzi, the Conservative Party [CP] President, have both confirmed that they will walk from their residences to their offices in solidarity with other ordinary Ugandans who will participate in the march.
The ‘Walk to Work’ march is the brainchild of Activists for Change, a political pressure group that was launched last week at Fairway Hotel after police sealed of the group’s original launch venue. According to messages on facebook, it appears Activists for Change has already attracted seasoned opposition activists like FDC’s Anne Mugisha.
Uganda Correspondent has separately learnt that the ‘Walk to Work’ march is part of a much bigger national campaign of civil disobedience that the leaders of Activists for Change hope will inspire other Ugandans across the country to demand that President Museveni stands down and calls for fresh elections after his February 18th “election victory” was rejected by all the main opposition leaders in Uganda.
In our report of 8th April however, [see: Govt threatens to arrest Besigye over demo plans] the Inspector General of Police Maj. General Kale Kayihura accused the opposition of ignoring laws by failing to involve the police in the planning of demonstrations. Since the end of the February elections, all opposition attempts to organise demonstrations have crushed government security operatives; especially the army.
The Police Chief also promised to stop opposition leaders in their tracks if they insist on going ahead with the ‘Walk to Work’ march. “…The police shall not allow selfish and egoistically inclined persons, hiding under the guise of political activism, to disrupt law and order; or cause fear and despondency in the public, and continually threaten the peace. Any person found engaging in such unlawful action will be dealt with, firmly, within the law”, Kayihura warned.
FDC Party President Dr. Kizza Besigye however insisted that the planned ‘Walk to Work’ march would be “peaceful and non-partisan”. He also wondered why a government that claims to be democratic cannot allow Ugandans to freely exercise their constitutional rights to peacefully demonstrate against socio-political injustices.
“…The enjoyment of fundamental human rights is one of, if not the most important benchmark by which governments that claim to be democratic are judged. We have pointed out before that we are living in a dictatorship and that is why we are constantly harassed by the State every time we try to exercise our right to peaceful protest against socio-political injustices”, Besigye said.
The FDC President also said an individual’s decision to walk to work does not require police permission and that Kayihura was simply being ridiculous. “…He is just being ridiculous. This is not something we are enjoined to discuss with him because it has nothing to do with public assemblies. Ugandans should simply ignore his misinformation because he is abusing his office”, the FDC President said.
Dr. Besigye said if all goes well, he will walk from his home in Kasangati to FDC offices in Najjanankumbi. CP President Ken Lukyamuzi is expected to walk from his home in Kabaawo Zone in Lubaga to the city centre. Other opposition politicians have vowed to do the same. END. Please login to www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories and anytime mid-week for our news updates.
