By John V Sserwaniko
Opposition leader Col Kizza Besigye has said that unless the LC1 elections are expeditiously organized and new leaders elected, insecurity, similar to what cost Arua MP Ibrahim Abiriga his life on Friday, will only escalate in Uganda, a country he repeatedly described as one in which no one was safe anymore. Speaking on BBC TV, where he was hosted by Ugandan journalist Nancy Kacungira, Besigye said whereas its public knowledge that a properly-functioning LC system was the only way to overcome rampant crime in Uganda, President Museveni was deliberately reluctant to have those elections “because he fears the opposition will win.” Besigye insisted that, whereas the Abiriga murder looks a purely security issue, the broader causes are political. He spoke of thousands of youths graduating and not being able to find employment which makes many of them vulnerable to being recruited into criminal networks. He predicted that many more Ugandans, VIPs and ordinary people, will continue losing their lives unless President Museveni agrees to do the right thing-which is having countrywide dialogue and permitting LC elections to take place. Besigye said that, besides the deeply seated political anger in the population which he described as desperate, there is a deep economic crisis which too is in part responsible for the increasing crime. He also said that as all this is happening, the security agencies, that are supposed to protect Ugandans, are deliberately diverted into doing “Mr. Museveni’s politics at the expense of doing core security work.” He said the security system is more preoccupied with the NRM regime survival as opposed to protecting the population. He was speaking from Oxford. For comments, call/text/whatsapp us on 0703164755.
