[Ugnet] New Terms for Obote Return

The Uganda government has imposed tough conditions on exiled former president Milton Obote, before he could be allowed to return home.

Dr Nsaba Butulo, Minister of Information in the office of the president said yesterday that though Mr Obote was free to return any time, he has to first write to President Yoweri Museveni, informing him of his intention to return. The letter must be copied to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Butulo added.

Last week, the opposition Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) headquarters announced that their exiled leader, Milton Obote who ruled Uganda twice, between 1966 and 1971, then 1980 to 1985 was set to return to Uganda on May 27, 2005 and participate in the 2006 elections.

He is now exiled in Lusaka, Zambia where he ran to after his government was overthrown by his army commanders, General Tito Okello Lutwa and Bazillio Okello in 1985. Lutwa, who died in 1996, later became the president before Museveni overran Kampala in 1986. The minister told a well-attended press conference at Nakasero, Kampala that the people of Luwero triangle who suffered under the second regime of Obote, 1980 to 1985, must be consulted also. "Victims of Obote II regime will have to be consulted and these are represented by the Luwero War Veteran Association," said the minister. In his five-year guerilla warfare against the regime of Obote, Mr Museveni used the Luwero area as his base.

Many people were killed during the war and estimates say that over 100,000 people were killed. President Museveni blames the deaths on Mr Obote who killed innocent civilians suspecting them to be his fighters.

Dr Nsaba Buturo said that the government of Zambia has also to communicate to the Ugandan government and Uganda will respond to that communication raising all the pertinent issues they have against Obote.

"It is not a matter of him packing his bag and coming back because according to the 1995 constitution all prosecution is in the hands of the Director of Public Prosecution.

"The Amnesty law does not cover Obote but only those currently fighting government," said the minister. Adding that Mr Obote's role in the massacre of Luwero people will have to be handled before his issue of return could be resolved.

The minister said that the UN would also be involved in the coming back of Mr Obote. The former Ugandan leader has on several occasions turned down government invitations to return to Uganda. Mr Godfrey Binaisa, whom Obote replaced in 1980, is currently in Uganda enjoying benefits of ex-presidents.

Of recent he has come out openly to endorse president Museveni to run for another term after the expiry of his current term in 2006.

[Ugnet] New Terms for Obote Return

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