From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Tue Aug 04 2009 - 07:09:39 EDT
Uganda: Withdraw Army From Somalia, Besigye Demands
Patrick Jaramogi
4 August 2009
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Kampala - FDC President Kizza Besigye wants Ugandan troops deployed in
war-torn Somalia to be brought back home.
"As FDC, we opposed the deployment of UPDF in Somalia. There was no way they
were going to keep peace when there is no peace in Somalia," he said at the
party's weekly press briefing at Najjanankumbi yesterday.
"Rather than keeping peace they were sucked into civil war. There is ample
evidence that the UPDF supplied arms to one of the warring factions and that
is why we are saying they should return home."
"They are involved in a civil war and that is why we are now seeing an
element of food poisoning. That is what we call biological war-fare. FDC may
not do much, but it is upon the parents of the soldiers who are dying in
Somalia to come up and demonstrate," he said.
However, the army has ruled out poisoning, describing the disease that has
hit 40 soldiers so far as a strain of a bacterial, water-borne infection.
But Besigye, a medical doctor, said bacteria can be a form of poison. "Bad
elements can put bacterial substances in your water and that is why we see
only UPDF and Burundian troops affected and not Somalis."
He lashed out at Ugandans for keeping quiet about sensitive issues. "Entebbe
Airport has gone and Ugandans are just crying 'mama nyabo'. Up to when shall
we keep quiet? Even if President Museveni leaves and Besigye comes in but
Ugandans don't learn to oppose corruption, it will continue to thrive."
Commenting on the Kampala City Council Bill before Parliament, Besigye said
the takeover of Kampala city by the Government will only succeed if the
Kampala residents are consulted.
"It appears the Government is keen on proceeding with the take-over of
Kampala in an arrogant manner. These are critical issues that have
fundamental constitutional biases," he stated.
"The expansion of Kampala will involve re-demarcations of the new district
boundaries. These districts must consult the population on this."
Besigye pointed out that for Mpigi, Wakiso and Mukono districts, which are
located in Buganda, it was important that the Mengo government endorsed the
idea first.
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