Dr. Besigye Urges Ugandans to Emphasize Individual Body Strength in Face of the Pandemic

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.”