by
Valerian Kkonde
PEARL NEWS SERVICE
As
he warns that there is going to be a big war for justice in the post Covid-19
period as government plans are shrouded in secrecy, oppression and profiteering.
Kyaddondo MP Robert Kyagulanyi also known as Bobi Wine and Dr. Kizza Besigye. Bobi heads the People Power group while Besigye heads the Peoples Government.
Medical doctor turned politician Kizza
Besigye has told Ugandans to ensure that their immune system is strong because
it is the best guard against the Coronavirus pandemic which has neither a
vaccine nor a cure at the moment.
Besigye also a retired Colonel in the
Uganda Peoples Defense Forces (UPDF), made the advice while talking to the
Central Broadcasting Service (CBS) 89.2 FM Radio. The radio had visited him at
his home in Kasangati, on May 13 this year, for the programme Kkiriza Oba Gaana presented by Meddie
Nsereko Ssebuliba popularly referred to as Musajja wa Kabaka.
“As far as Covid-19 is concerned, people
must put emphasis on how to fight the virus as an individual. Prepare your body
to fight back as there is no cure. The cases of those who have been cured have
not even been to the Intensive Care Unit which helps in breathing.
You need to sleep enough at least eight
hours and with rhythm, so as to avoid stress. That is why government must help
people overcome stress.”
He warned the people against things like
“strong alcohol which reduces the body’s ability to fight back when invaded.
Also avoid sugar; it is poison and if one is to use it at all, then it must be
used in very small quantities.”
“Exercising for at least 30 minutes is
good for the strengthening of the body’s security. In the protection of the
body the lymphatic system is moved by muscles throughout the body and this
keeps it well protected from any invasion.”
Dr. Besigye who heads a political
pressure group called Peoples Government has contested for the presidency on
four occasions but with no success. He is the face of the Opposition in Uganda
and maintains that Museveni is the country’s greatest problem. He emphasised
that the President’s failure to drop the electricity and water bills was
stressing the people a lot, and only serves to undermine their well intentioned
sacrifices to stop the spread of the pandemic.
“People must ensure that they get a lot
of Vitamin C which is found in fruits. It helps a lot in breathing in case of a
Coronavirus attack. The lemon has a lot of Vitamin C especially the cover.
Simply cut it into pieces and put in hot water and drink.
Vitamin A strengthens the layer in the
mouth which is attacked by the virus. This Vitamin can be got from carrots,
papaws, oranges and other foods with the yellow colouring.”
He further advised that Vitamin B which
is found in meat, beans and millet should be sought after as well.
“These vitamins are not meant for
Covid-19 only but even other diseases that attack us. Even all the other
measures put in place to prevent the transmission of the virus must be adhered
to without laxity. The face mask is very important because it protects you from
acquiring the virus from other people and also protects others from you. You
can use your handkerchief by just folding it into two, tie it at the back and
it will serve the purpose”
The radio programme was seeking the
doctor’s views on the post Covid-19 period and how best to prepare and face it.
He predicted doom due to the bad governance that Museveni and cohorts engage
in.
“After Covid-19 there is going to be a
big war for justice because what government is doing is selective support.
Justice only works for those who fight for it.”
The vivid example he gave was of the
arrest and brutal torture of the Member of Parliament for Mityana Municipality
Zaake Mutebi. He was arrested from his home in Buswabulongo on allegations of
distributing food to his constituents. The
ministers and NRM parliamentarians freely distribute food and are given
protection by the security officials.
After Parliament granted the Office of
the Prime Minister 59 billion shillings to buy food for the people during the
lockdown, it went on to propose that a thorough programme be put in place if
the distribution is to benefit ordinary Ugandans. It had also proposed that
people instead be given money through their phone numbers but the OPM went
ahead without any preparation, throwing the scheme into chaos.
Immediately, key officials in the OPM,
including the Permanent Secretary and the Commissioner, were arrested for
profiteering from the programme.
“Uganda’s problem is not the political
parties. The problem is the few people wielding a lot of power. Believe it or not, the power in Uganda is not
with Parliament, the Judiciary or Executive. The power is with Museveni.
The Peoples Government wants to invite
all Ugandans to join hands and come up with a transition aimed at handing power
back to the people.”
The biggest concern for majority
Ugandans is the state of finances that awaits them after the lockdown ends. These
fears are backed by the institutionalized robbery of public funds and resources
which has seen the obscene accumulation of wealth. Dr. Besigye castigated
government for buying beans from Malawi yet Ugandan farmers are stuck with
beans in their stores.
“Secrecy surrounds whatever government
is doing. But taxes have to be reduced so that people can get jobs. High taxes
deny people chance to get employment. Low taxes enable government to get more
money.
When you decide to buy beans from
Malawi, instead of buying from Ugandan farmers, you are denying your own people
the much needed capital to mitigate the effects of the Coronavirus. People need
to know the plans in place after the lockdown is over. ”
Earlier President Museveni had hinted
that the general elections slated for 2021 could be postponed if the virus is
still present in the country by July this year. Elections had been expected to
start this year in April with the elections for representatives for people with
disabilities and the youth but all were put off due to the Coronavirus.
Besigye argues that whether there are
elections or not, President Museveni’s term will come to an end. He accused the
Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Justice Byabakama, of being Museveni’s
stooge and being incapable of organising a free and fair election.
“At the time of independence in the 60s,
we needed a transition from the Europeans to Africans. Today we need a
transition from a few blacks to all Ugandans.”
Museveni had further hinted that ballot
papers as well as money will be printed in Uganda. To this Besigye said that it
makes no difference because Museveni will continue to raid national coffers at
will.
“If Museveni wants five billion
shillings from Bank of Uganda, the governor Emmanuel Mutebile will not ask how
but when would the bullions be arriving.”
He revealed that in 2007 they took Bank
of Uganda to court for giving out US $ 11 million to Basajjabalaba on the
orders of President Museveni. The governor came out and admitted to the crime
but said that Basajjabalaba had put his land tittles as security. He went on to
reveal that Basajjabalaba was later given back his tittles, without paying the
money, and sold them off. But that up to now court has failed to pronounce
itself on the matter.
Besigye pointed out that when money is
printed in France, De la Louts works together with IMF and World Bank. This, he
reasoned, helps Liquidity in Uganda to be known by investors.
“But this cannot prevent Museveni from
misusing public funds. Mugabe did exactly that and we all know how the
Zimbabwean economy collapsed.”
As for the ballots, Dr. Besigye stressed
that Ugandans should not look at the consequences of not having power but
should instead look at having power.
“It is important that power is in the
hands of Ugandans not in the hands of a few individuals. Even institutions must
be at the service of all Ugandans and again not a few individuals.”
Further stressing the importance of the
Opposition to work together to bring about rule of law, Besigye admitted that
there are misunderstandings but that they are based on lack of understanding
for the situation in the country.
“I stopped thinking that elections alone
can bring about the desired change in 2016. In 2016 campaigns my message was to
tell Ugandans that they do not have the vote. Many of our partners still do not
think this way. It was the cause of split in the FDC and Major Mugisha Muntu
founded his own party.
“I took Museveni to court in 2001 and
2006 and he knew that whoever is aggrieved runs to court. Now he appoints the
judges 100%. The chairman of the
electoral commission was my prosecutor during those trumped up charges and you
think that he can organise a free and fair election!”
Retired Col. Kizza Besigye told his
audience that he had lost count of the times he has been refused to appear on
radio stations countrywide. He said that last week he had been invited by a
radio station in Bugiri but he was blocked.
“It has been the same case in Jinja,
Kamuli and Adjumani to mention a few. Sometimes we even have to pay for our
appearance but the hosts are intimidated. Radios have been switched off air and
even hosts have been dismissed because they intended to host us.”
Besigye went on to say that political persecution
has also been extended to Hon. Kyagulanyi a.k.a Bobi Wine. He is a musician but
he has been refused to stage concerts because he has expressed interest in the
presidency.
“When did Bobi last sing? But that is
his job!”
A number of individuals and
organisations have come up to donate food and other medial items to assist in
the fight against the Coronavirus. The Peoples Government is conspicuously
missing but Besigye confirmed that it was intentional.
“The Peoples Government has been present
in the different parts of the country through the Citizens Relief Initiative.
We come to the aid of people affected by famine, floods, land evictions and
other disasters but we kept away from this food distribution because we do not
trust the system and the Office of the Prime Minister. How can you trust the
OPM which is being investigated for
the scam in the refugee programme and the Northern Uganda Rehabilitation
programme?
Fortunately the mess in the food distribution
has absolved us. But that does not mean that we are not assisting out people.
Of course we are assisting in our small way.”
Medical doctor turned politician Kizza
Besigye warned that the post Covid-19 period will be a great challenge but that
people should keep faith in God because he is omnipotent.
“God knows all, just pray to Him. If you
cry to Him He will respond.”
