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By Dr. Milton Obote Aug 22 - 28, 2004 What is the real story behind the recent failed meeting between you and President Museveni in Lusaka? The meeting failed and it is Museveni who wanted it that can possibly give the real story behind it had it not failed. The letter by Stephen Mila already published by The Monitor to Dev Babbar gives it clearly that it was Babbar on behalf of Museveni who wanted to arrange a meeting and who gives it clearly that Milton Obote had not consented to meeting to be held âtomorrowâ. Since the meeting failed the real story behind it can also be seen from what the people who desperately wanted the meeting are now saying. What do you think of Museveniâs gesture in agreeing to meet you? I do not know from where this question arises. It was Museveni who wanted to meet me and I did not want to meet him. Museveni later came to want to meet my emissaries and did meet three of them. I have no opinion on why he wanted to meet them. How do you know Mr Dev Babbar? Had you dealt with him before? Dev Babbar was introduced to me in 1986 by Gurdial Singh. Babbar kept on coming to my residence mostly to enquire about Gurdialâs condition. Gurdial has been very sick for years. Are you the one who asked to meet Museveni and if so why did you opt out at the last minute? I never asked anyone to arrange a meeting with Museveni. I would not do so because I was confident that there was nothing the UPC leaders led by Dr James Rwanyarare could not handle. Papers and documents from the UPC leaders already published by The Monitor show that it was not me who asked for a meeting. When do you plan to come back to Uganda? I have no idea what you may call âplansâ to return home. I have said that I hope to return when Uganda is no longer ruled by a one-party cum military dictatorship. Under what circumstances do you hope to return? As stated above, it is not easy to guess when the one-party cum military dictatorship will come to an end. Do you have any specific demands that must be fulfilled before you can return? I am a politician and a citizen. I have no personal special demands. I only demand as a politician and citizen that competitive multiparty politics and elections be restored. Is it true that you are contemplating quitting politics? How soon? There is nothing I have so far experienced or experiencing that will make me quit politics. Give us a comment on the new political party in Uganda, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC). The launch of the FDC is to be welcomed. Museveni is opposed to opposition Parties and the launch of FDC to join UPC, DP and CP formed many years ago but now in servitude was a defeat of Musevenism. Will UPC join the group in a merger or a coalition? Dr James Rwanyarare has already issued a statement, which I support, covering the question on the position of the UPC. Can UPC on its own manage to go into contest on one side and the merger on the other? The question is not clear to me. If by contest you mean the elections of 2006 then Dr Rwanyarareâs statement has covered it. Will you meet Museveni if he invites you? No. I will not. I have much foreboding in meeting the person who ordered his army to kill my father and mother to whom I was very close. Do you plan to write your memoirs? Not for the present. If President Museveni does not stand or loses the election in 2006, will you come back? My idea to return home when the one-party cum military dictatorship has ended has no relation to Museveni standing or losing as a candidate in 2006. Since you are over age now and therefore cannot stand for the presidency in Uganda, which activities would you want to be associated with on your return? Will you become a community worker, church activist, human rights crusader, environmental activist or farmer? If a farmer, what will you engage in? If you believe in the scare-crow provision that Museveni put in the Constitution, then you must also believe that Uganda presently is a dictatorship which will not change. I have no mental or physical disability and Museveniâs scare-crow provision does not scare the UPC because I am not a crow and jobs for a person of my calibre and experience are not limited to the presidency and include those you have enumerated except under the Movement system. What lessons have you learnt over the 17 or so of your exile? Any lesson I have learnt will first be given to the UPC when the party is released from servitude and I can speak. What lessons has UPC as a party learnt in the 19 years itâs been out of power? Put the question to Dr James Rwanyarare. Any comment on the on going transition period in Uganda? There can be no meaningful transition when the rulers have not put forward the roadmap for people to know and discuss what transition is to include. Â 2004 The Monitor Publications The Mulindwas Communication Group "With Yoweri Museveni, Uganda is in anarchy" Groupe de communication Mulindwas "avec Yoweri Museveni, l'Ouganda est dans l'anarchie" |
