Former FDC party president Dr.Kizza Besigye has released a statement jubilating 40 years involvement of liberating Uganda from Juntas control and many Ugandans whom he regarded as his colleagues.
According to Dr. Besigye , what he said about 1988 revolution led by Mr. museveni in which he participated was correct.
‘‘a novel participatory grassroots (RCs) democracy had been introduced and was cherished by majority Ugandans’’, he said.
A most part operating as guerrilla army had defeated the national army (UNLA) that was for some time backed by the Tanzanian Army (TPDF) and that was largely possible because of the sacrifices and support of the population.
It was therefore, a popular struggle that had been launched following a blatant overthrow of the people’s will as expressed in 1980 elections.
The chairman of the then ruling military commission, Paul Muwanga summarily sacked the Electoral Commission soon after the voting and took over its roles.
He further said that there was widespread Human Rights abuses by military and security personnel, in which he was, personally a victim- an episode that rudely changed his life’s trajectory.
The victory of NRA/NRM struggle in 1986 and the accompanying euphoria was buttressed by a promise and plan of a new Uganda
The foundation for that new Uganda was expected to be built by all people, through an all-inclusive Transitional Government that was intended to last four years and that was up to 1990
Although there was no formal understanding was agreed upon, leaders of all political background were part of that government.
Regrettably, Museveni , who was at the time ,president of Uganda , speaker of parliament, chairman of NRM, chair of NRA High command and Commander-in-chief , used that power to overthrow the NRA/NRM revolution and the promises they had made to the people of Uganda.
A part of this betrayal of the people included the creation of institutionalized corruption, thereby offending a cardinal objective which was the point no 7 of the NRM 10 point program.
‘‘That’s were resistance started in the NRM leadership’’ he said according to the statement.
‘‘despite the fact that I was then serving as Natioanl Political Commissar (NPC) and a minister of the presidency; I was one of those who started to resist Mr. Museveni’s subversion of the NRM revolution, which earned me prompt sacking from government in 1990.’’ He added.
He was then sent to military from 1991 untill 2020 and his chances of retiring were denied.
While serving as a member of the Constituent Assembly (CA) -1994/1995, together with some other NRA CA members, we again tried with mixed results, to resist Mr Museveni’s subversion of the NRA/NRM revolution.
The rigging and manipulation of the CA, together with how the 1996 election played out, very painfully and finally, ended the NRM promises of a new Uganda and ushered in the M7 junta (personal)
In 1999, Besigye wrote a critique of the NRM, titled “The Evolution and State of the NRM” although the media called it “An Insider’s View of how NRM lost the broad base”, according to Dr. Besigye. Since it was a narration of what, in his view had happened to the NRM revolution and that’s what triggered the open contestation that I have been involved in to date.
After that, it was afraud called a ‘’Movement Political System’’, that had organs and which Mr Museveni was a chairman of the System even endorsed Museveni as its presidential candidate and they opposed it by contestin against Mr Museveni in 2001.
The truth is that the ridiculous and fraudulent movement system was abandoned in 2005 (only in law), when a Multiparty Political System” was adopted.
The system then morphed into an Organization –NRM (o) that continues till now!
Of course, the Junta government has progressively got worse over the years. All state institution (Judiciary, Parliament, independent bodies) have become totally captive, corruption is the system of government, gross abuse of human rights with impunity , is rampant, elections, especially of president ( where all powere is held) is just a farce, social services are in shambles among others.
Let us restate this here clearly, the struggle many of the colleagues and I have involved in for about 40years in now for the Liberation of our country from control of military juntas/armed cabals.
We’re struggling for a yet elusive, Transition to a democratic dispensation, in which power truly belong to and is exercised by the people of Uganda, where we’re all equal before the law, where we enjoy equal opportunities, and where the leaders are servants and accountable to the people.
‘‘It is not a struggle for offices or positions.’’ Besigye stated.
We have no regreat in havinging been a part of the NRM/NRA struggle until it was hijacked by Mr Mueveni.
Dr. Besigye also said that an armed struggle wasn’t the appropriate strategy for achieving the democratic transition they aspire to.
It was nevertheless an important lesson of that struggle since many people that perished in the 1981-1986 1986 armed struggle and those that have been killed, maimed, tortured and persecuted in subsequent pro-democracy struggles form a part of the motivation for us to fight on.