There is an apparent war within Uganda opposition parties with some sharp allegations to the effect that some member parties like the Democratic Party (DP) have allied with the National Resistance Movement (NRM).

However the spokesperson of DP, Kenneth Paul Kakande clears that there is no such alliance between DP and NRM. There is no resolution of the National Executive Committee of DP mandating anybody in DP to work NRM for any political reasons.

He says that if there are any individual or group of persons doing it, they are doing it in their personal capacity and the party wishes to state that it will investigate these unfortunate and callous turn of events and such people, if any will be dealt with according to DP laws.

There also seems to be a deliberate effort to depict a war of words between FDC and DP leaders. Kakande says that the DP is not in business of attacking other opposition leaders and members. Kakande says that DP believes that the people in FDC are their friends and the party sees them as allies in the fight against Museveni’s leadership. He challenges FDC and all other opposition parties to concentrate their fire on the liberation struggle.

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It seems police violence and brutality on members of opposition parties has caught the international eye. This is because the United Kingdom (UK) minister in charge of Africa Henry Bellingham has asked president Museveni to curb the police violence on civilians. Bellingham is in Uganda’s capital city Kampala on an official visit.

He jetted into Uganda on Monday and today he has held talks with Ugandan president Museveni. On Wednesday Bellingham will visit Singo military school to see by himself whether the funds UK has been channeling to Uganda for military developed has been used properly.

A source that over heard the details of the meeting Bellingham held with President Museveni, intimated to us that the UK minister asked president Museveni why there is too much demonstrations, police brutality, corruption, lawlessness, land grabbing and reported cases of vote rigging in Uganda.

Bellingham reportedly asked Museveni to control acts of violence his soldiers and police commit on civilians because such acts one day might force the International Court of Justice to probe the leaders of Uganda.

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Mwaka says that opposition parties need less bloodshed but total mobilization of grassroots voters amidst ‘bogus’ electoral Commission’ the way it was done in Senegal for opposition to win the polls.

Mwaka says that opposition Political Parties in Senegal went down to the grassroots level a midst suppression of the president of Senegal and his anti opposition team. Instead of Senegalese picking guns and causing bloodshed; Mwaka says they mobilized funds from donors, mobilized opposition structures and won the voters hearts through right message!

This president Museveni’s spy wonders whether our political Parties in Uganda have the structures; the internal Democracy; the financial mobilization skills and the will to be the next government. “Can war or revolution help; will it work in Uganda without years of bloodshed? What is the best way? Thinking aloud as I salute the politicians of Senegal!

President Wade of Senegal even went ahead to amend the constitution to suit his age and put no term limits the way the Kampala government has done for president Museveni but still opposition members voted Wade out of power.

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Ariong was killed last Wednesday when police was beating and firing bullets and tear gas into the crowds of people who were escorting Kampala Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago and opposition leader, Col. Kiiza Besigye.

Following the death of Ariong the police there after arrested Col. Kiiza Besigye, Erias Lukwago, FDC supporters Harold Kaija, Robert Kavuma, Mohammed Ssebugwawo, Hanifah Nakitende, Abdu Mutwalib Kayondo, Malik Nsubuga, Ismail Kirya and Hajj Twalib Kakande, and Catherine Ddembe.

Over 600 opposition members were arrested and locked up in torture chambers. Many of the suspects like Dembe Catharine and others were beaten to near death and they are still admitted at different hospitals inKampala.

We hear some of the suspects died. But the people inKampalaask where is Kampala Metropolitan police boss Andrew Kaweesi on this Charge sheet because he was with Dr. Besigye at the time Aringo was hit with a stone on the head and died.

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The development has come at a time when opposition parties mainly FDC and DP, Buganda kingdom and human rights organisations petitioned UN human rights department to intervene into the issue. Bukenya Church Ambrose, told Walakira Nyanzi, a journalist based in Kampala that he has been receiving calls from the Kampala government persuading him not to involve UN in the issue of the Buganda riots suspects. Bukenya is the coordinator of Gwanga Mujje, a group of human rights activists in Kampala with branches in UK and US.

We have learnt that on Tuesday judiciary working on a directive from statehouse assigned the Masindi High Court judge Ralph Ochan to hear the case of the 23 suspects facing treason charges and where applicable give them bail.

Due to the pressure, a source in the High Court told one of our reporters that the government has requested the judiciary to hear the case of the suspects so soon before the UN diplomats visit them in Luzira prison. There is a rumour going in Kampala government that some UN officials want to storm Luzira prison without notice and meet the Buganda riot suspects. The fear is that the UN diplomat could discover that many people have been locked up in Luzira for more than five years without trial due to political influence.

Recently the relatives of the suspects broke down into tears after Prison authorities failed to produce the suspects to court as it was earlier communicated. Many people were heard cursing president Museveni’s government, his NRM party and wished US president Barrack Obama comes for their rescue. Another source at the Kampala High Court told our underground informers that the Buganda Riots suspects have stayed for all long without trial because the head of state, who is the appointing authority of the judiciary reportedly had an interest. The suspects were arrested after the UPDF soldiers and some few Police officers stopped the Buganda Katikkiro, J.B. Walusimbi, from visiting Kayunga district in preparation for Kabaka Ronald Mutebi’s visit to mark the annual youth day.

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The development has come at a time when opposition parties mainly FDC and DP,Bugandakingdom and human rights organisations petitioned UN human rights department to intervene into the issue. Bukenya Church Ambrose, told Walakira Nyanzi, a journalist based in Kampala that he has been receiving calls from the Kampala government persuading him not to involve UN in the issue of the Buganda riots suspects. Bukenya is the coordinator of Gwanga Mujje, a group of human rights activists in Kampala with branches inUK and US.

We have learnt that on Tuesday judiciary working on a directive from statehouse assigned the Masindi High Court judge Ralph Ochan to hear the case of the 23 suspects facing treason charges and where applicable give them bail. Due to the pressure, a source in the High Court told one of our reporters that the government has requested the judiciary to hear the case of the suspects so soon before the UN diplomats visit them in Luzira prison.

There is a rumour going inKampala government that some UN officials want to storm Luzira prison without notice and meet the Buganda riot suspects. The fear is that the UN diplomat could discover that many people have been locked up in Luzira for more than five years without trial due to political influence.

Recently the relatives of the suspects broke down into tears after Prison authorities failed to produce the suspects to court as it was earlier communicated. Many people were heard cursing president Museveni’s government, his NRM party and wished USpresident Barrack Obama comes for their rescue.

Another source at the Kampala High Court told our underground informers that the Buganda Riots suspects have stayed for all long without trial because the head of state, who is the appointing authority of the judiciary reportedly had an interest. The suspects were arrested after the UPDF soldiers and some few Police officers stopped the Buganda Katikkiro, J.B. Walusimbi, from visiting Kayunga district in preparation for Kabaka Ronald Mutebi’s visit to mark the annual youth day.

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The leadership of opposition parties have told us that they supported NCF in the beginning but it has now turned a nuisance and a useless platform.

NCF was set up by the 1995 Constitution of Uganda and the Political Parties and Other Organisations Act of 2005. The Secretary General of DP, Mathias Nsubuga says that the members of opposition parties are concerned that  the ruling party /government doesn’t respect freedom of assembly, funding of parties, free and fair elections, democracy, safety, security of people and tackle economic problems.

The NCF was formed to resolve disputes among parties, present views of parties to the Electoral Commission and ensure that the parties adhere to an agreed code of conduct.

Nsubuga challenged the Government to build the culture of parties working together and respect and listen to each other.

By James Okello

The post Opposition parties threaten to pull out of National Consultative Forum first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

The leaders of opposition parties are through with the list of candidates they want to represent them in EALA. The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has chosen its iron lady Salaam Musumba, and former MP Augustine Ruzindana to be its candidate for EALA. The Uganda Peoples Congress has sent Cecilia Nyakait, Okello Okello and Dr. Olara Otunnu.

Justice Forum has picked Asuman Basalirwa; Conservative Party (CP) picked Suzan Nakawuki while the Democratic Party is planning to pick Norbert Mao and former legislator, John Kawanga. Others still in the race on DP side are Mukasa Fred Mbidde, Kenneth Paul Kakande, Deo Kijjambu, John Mary Sebuwufu, and DP deputy Secretary General, Vincent Mayanja.

The parliament of Uganda will seat in April to vet the opposition party representatives. After the vetting exercise the MPs will vote two people from the opposition shades to represent the opposition opinion in EALA.

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The meeting we are told took place in Kasangati in the home of Col. Kiiza Besigye of FDC. In attendance was UPC President, Dr. Olara Otunnu, Social Democratic Party president Michael Mabikke, DP representatives and Col. Besigye himself was present.

The donors asked Besigye and other opposition leaders who were in the meeting why they don’t unit to form a one party opposition force to oust president Museveni. Otunnu, and the DP officials deliberated on the issue.

In the meeting, DP, UPC and SDP declined to form a joint opposition party. But they agreed to work together in the struggle to oust Museveni. From the meeting, Besigye and group went to Namasuba Kalina zone for a joint rally.

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President Museveni might have used his powers to direct his minister for energy to sign an oil deal with Tullow Oil without the support of the people he rules, but the wrath of Ugandans keeps on growing every day. The members of the Democratic Party, the oldest opposition party in Uganda have vowed to petition European Union Parliament asking it to investigate the deal oil companies, Tullow Oil and Total signed with Uganda. The party has also threatened to mobilize its supporters to stage demonstrations in case diplomacy fails.

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