Former Presidential Candidate Col Dr Kizza Besigye at the weekend passed a stinging message to the people of Kiiruhura district, reminding them that none of them will ever love his former boss, President Yoweri Museveni like he did when they went to the bush to fight in the 1980s, finally taking over the leadership mantle. […]
Former Presidential Candidate Col Dr Kizza Besigye at the weekend passed a stinging message to the people of Kiiruhura district, reminding them that none of them will ever love his former boss, President Yoweri Museveni like he did when they went to the bush to fight in the 1980s, finally taking over the leadership mantle.
At the wedding, to which he was invited by Canon George Mutagaizi whose son Emmanuel Nabimanya exchanged matrimonial vows with his wife Peninnah in Buremba, Besigye accused Museveni and his government officials of falling off the path they had set out to follow when they went to the bush to fight.
The wedding was attended by among others Security Minister Gen Elly Tumwiine.
The National Resistance Movement/Army under the leadership of Gen.Yoweri Museveni captured power thirty three years ago after a five year guerilla war waged against the Obote regime in 1981.
This was after the presidential elections that were marred by rigging and disenfranchisement of the voters.
The poor economy of Uganda,denial of all human freedoms and corruption in the face of nepotism and favouritism compelled the NRA to wage a guerrilla war against the government with intent of “liberating” Uganda. This was achieved on 26th Jan,1986 .
Here is Besigye’s translated stinging speech:
People of this area gathered here; Government officials; My friend Gen Elly Tumwiine; other members of the armed forces here; ladies and Gentlemen. God is good.
Thanks be to God, who gathered all of us here as we celebrate with our children being united in matrimony.
There was a man in this area, who used to thank the president whenever there was a gathering like this by saying; “Thanks Mr President for gathering all these people for me. Where else would I have met them to tell them that I am better off than them?”
Therefore I thank you Emmanuel for gathering all these people for me; where would I have found all of them?
I thank you James for inviting all of us to your home; people from all tribes and religions, young and old. That is God’s will.
Some of us who are experts in party politics, we say that we are one nation; One Uganda, One people.
Let me tell you this ladies and gentlemen; God who created us, he made us in his image; everyone is like the other and we are all equal in God’s eyes.
I was telling my colleagues recently, that when God was creating us, he gave us one commandment; which is that you shall love your God, and love your neighbour as you love yourself.
In that second commandment which fails all of us; he told us that we cannot love God, whom we have never seen with our eyes, and yet hate the neighbour that he gave us.
If you say you love God and you don’t love your neighbour; you are being deceitful to your God.
I therefore urge you ladies and gentlemen to love each other.
I heard some people calling me to come back to the Movement. I want to tell you this, people of Buremba and this region. Before this Movement started, we were with Museveni.
In 1980, I was one of the people campaigning for him in this area. You refused to vote for him.
You voted for Kutesa. We loved (Museveni) but you folk chose a DP candidate. I and Museveni were in the UPM (Uganda Patriotic Movement). We started it on the same day in Kampala City Council. Our symbol was two shaking hands. We spread this love of UPM around the country and we brought it here, but you refused to vote for him.
Some of you asked him, “Do you have cows?” he said, “I don’t.” “Do you have a home?” “I don’t.” “Are you prodigal?”
You said all this, whereas we followed him, not because of the things he had but because of the truth that he spoke and espoused. Not his belongings.
He went to the bush and we followed him there.
I was a trained doctor. I was arrested and jailed because of the 1980 election. The likes of Gen Tumwiine were soldiers and weren’t involved in that election.
After the polls I was arrested because the person I voted for had gone to the bush. Most of the people I had in jail have never been seen.
I was in jail with a man named Rwancwende; he’s never been seen. His son came to see him; he too has never been seen. Others like Karuhanga, Ambassador Kananura, Judge Kabazeire; we were all in the same prison.
The person who survived was this young girl Kabwaami, who survived because she had just given birth to a baby.
We were being killed because of supporting a rebel.
Fortunately, I was able to get out of prison and I escaped to Kenya from where I returned to join Museveni in the bush. At the time, this Gen Tumwiine was the commander, in 1982.
The bush, I want to tell you, is not easy. We died there. When you hear people saying they are all powerful now, I want you to know that we didn’t get ourselves out of the bush. It was God who got us out of there.
Gen Tumwiine here knows, in 1984 we were looking for a way to escape into Congo and we couldn’t find it. Over 500,000 people lost their lives in the bush war.
People in this area were condemning Museveni, saying; “we knew he would lose our children and turn into vagabonds.”
I therefore want to tell you children of God, like I have been saying lately; that you are only lying to yourself when you say you love Museveni more than Besigye did.
I loved him when he had nothing. Today you cannot tell who genuinely loves him or who loves him because of what he has now.
Your true friend is that who is with you in danger. That’s how you can tell. Many today are just following things.
So ladies and gentlemen, we are the people who bled for the Movement, and created it. You cannot love it more than we do.
I gave my life for it. I went to the bush without a wife or a child. I was a doctor, earning a lot of money in Kenya. I left it all and went to the bush.
The only small problem is one. And if we get on the same path on this, the situation for our country will be good.
You must all remember what took us to the bush in the first place. Because even when we were looking for votes in this area, we were being persecuted.
Even Museveni going to the bush, they were after his life. They seized him on a road block when he was a minister and tried to kill him.
The problem then was that some people were allowed to talk while others weren’t.
Justice, which I have been talking about, which God wished us all; the restraint not to do unto your neighbour what you wouldn’t want to be done to you; if we follow all this as God has asked us, this country will be better.
As I was coming in here, I saw some people applauding and very happy, while others bent their heads. Why? We are all one people. What causes this is because some people feel they are free and have liberty while others don’t.
I have been saying all this even when I was in the cabinet – our very first cabinet in 1986 – I was the National Political Commissar. I was responsible for building all the resistance councils in the country.
So ladies and gentlemen we should remember one thing – justice. Don’t do unto your neighbour what you don’t want to be done to you.
The recent election of 2016, before they even announced the results, I was already in jail. Did I have any case to answer? Couldn’t this general take me to court and get me convicted for my crimes? All these times you have heard that I was in jail, have you ever heard any case that I was asked to defend myself on? Yet I am the resident of Prison.
Justice, ladies and gentlemen!
Thank you very much James for gathering us here and giving me this opportunity to tell these people to give us justice and to love God the way he loved us, and to love each other.
If we do that, we will better our country. I wish you peace, may our Lord be with you all.
Emmanuel and you wife, I do have a few cows of my own, tomorrow we will bring one and put it in your compound.
