RUKUTANA, KYALIGONZA SHOULD RESIGN OR BE FIRED-BASALIRWA

By Simon K. Turibamwe

The president general of the opposition JEEMA has called upon the appointing authority of Uganda to fire Mr. Rukutana the DAG and Rtd. Maj. Gen. Matayo Kyaligonza Uganda’s ambassador to Burundi, because of their unpalatable conduct before the public. In a press statement issued out this afternoon, the JEEMA president Gen. stated that: “JEEMA is deeply concerned by the rather of public officers, which conduct is incompatible with the offices they hold. Of great concern are two episodes involving the Deputy Attorney General, Hon. Mwesigwa Rukutana and Maj. Gen. Matayo Kyaligonza.” Basalirwa stated that, Deputy Attorney General was out of order in the manner he conducted himself while appearing before the Bamugemeire Commission of Inquiry.

 He said: “The DAG is by virtue of his office the head of the bar or lawyers and he takes precedence over all other lawyers in the country. His conduct during and after his appearance before the Commission was undeserving of an officer holding the office of the AG.” He adds that, it is common practice for legal practitioners to disagree with judicial officers, but when it happens, the disagreement is managed with decorum, civility but when the conduct of DAG before the Bamugemereire Commission will undermine its work and staff, and affect its outcome. “We call upon the DAG to Apologize to the Commission and the Country for his rather unbecoming conduct. He should also consider resigning or the appointing authority should relieve him of his duties” Said Basalirwa.

THE KYALIGONZA CASE

JEEMA’s president went on to condemn the actions of Maj. General Matayo Kyaligonza of physically participating in the assault of a traffic officer. “It is very clear that his conduct was incompatible with his diplomatic status, and if he was in Burundi where he serves as our top diplomat, most probably he would have been declared as a persona non grata,” said Basalirwa.  He also noted that had Kyaligonza been a man of conscience, or the appointing authority should would consider resigned. He went on to say that the arrest of Kyaligonza’s body guards           is a diversionary and amounts to sacrificing the small fish. “Since the victim asserts that she was slapped, which is criminal, Gen. Kyaligonza should be arrested and charged before the courts of law to enable the traffic officer achieve justice,” said Basalirwa.