A4C ban: Police are responsible for the ‘kavuyo’
By Abbey Semuwemba
16th April 2012: I was among the people who were initially confused about the sole objective of Activists for Change (A4C) until I read an anonymous message on my blog, presumably from one of the leaders of the A4C that stated in one of the paragraphs:
“Museveni must go and this time we shall not use guns but people power. The government propagandists keep referring to the next elections of 2016 – that we should instead plan to defeat Museveni in 2016. This is a joke. The Museveni regime will be overthrown this year (2012), a transitional government will be set up and a truly democratic election will follow”.
‘The press fears to report this message clearly for fear of economic consequences. But no one [who] attends an A4C rally or town hall meeting leaves with any doubt what the end game is. The removal of the fraudulently installed Museveni government from power by the (protest) power of the people.’
After reading this message, I thought to myself: How is the government going to deal with A4C if they are determined to use people power to get Museveni’s government out? The protests have been going for a year now and that is extra ordinary in the history of Uganda.
But my worry came when the government, through its Attorney General (AG) Peter Nyombi, declared A4C an “unlawful society”. The truth is that the existence of the A4C is not in the way about breaking the law or doing anything illegal. Any Ugandan has a right to protest against anything. I believe the law in Uganda does not ban peaceful protests, as they are allowed under the constitution.
If this was not the case, I believe the group would have been banned ages ago. What “freedom to peaceably assemble” means is that you can assemble as a group and discuss things, and the government can’t shut you down as long as you don’t infringe upon others.
From the few YouTube videos I have watched, it looks like the police are the ones that spark up all this ‘kavuyo’ (trouble). I believe that Inspector Ariong would not have died if the police had not interfered with the people who were walking alongside Dr. Besigye and Erias Lukwago.
What the AG has summarily done is to give A4C free publicity which will recruit more people for their cause. The government decision is also likely to drive some protestors underground to form secret organizations against the government, a situation that could have been avoided if common sense had been allowed to prevail.
Banning protest groups such as A4C is not what most people want to see happen in this country. What we need is free and fair elections, proper democracy, free society, no corruption, etc. So the mere fact that the A4C has managed to live for a year should be a reality check for the government – that not everything is a bed of roses.
NRM as a party is now an intellectually dishonest organization, and this is not good for the country because they are in power. The best option would be for President Museveni to form a coalition government with the opposition and then organize fresh presidential elections. If Museveni refuses to give in to the protests, then I will believe what most people have been telling us – that he is a bad person.
Some people say Museveni is worse than Obote but I am willing to give him the benefit of doubt and see whether he will listen to the cries of the protestors, or continue torturing, killing, or imprisoning them. Killing or torturing people leaves permanent mental scars.
Leaders should not think that people are the enemy. The logic is clear: the people they lead want to have a good, free and stable country. If they don’t get it, they will do something about it.
I want to personally thank Dr. Besigye for taking up the banner of freedom at a time when he ought to be able to enjoy a retirement in freedom and liberty- considering that he already fought for it in the bushes of Luwero against Obote dictatorship.
Whoever will become the next FDC president must do no less than what Besigye has done – because our very system of government and our essential freedoms and liberties are in serious jeopardy.
Like they say in the Green Mile, it looks like Museveni the executioner is now prepared to walk Uganda down the last mile to its execution. May God have mercy on Uganda’s soul! END. Please login to www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories and anytime mid-week for our news updates.
