President M7, Dr. Kasaato in a night to remember
By Norman S. Miwambo
Diplomats, potential investors, foreign journalists, and ordinary Ugandans
and British citizens came to hear President Yoweri Museveni talk about his
20 years occupancy accomplishments.
Instead, they saw a Ugandan [of Justice Forum] Dr. Rashid Kasaato who lives
in London commandeer the floor and denounce the president as a "liar" and
"war criminal."
Instead of focusing on the Ugandan president's message of economic miracles,
the 700 or so people witnessed an extraordinary display-an ordinary citizen
lecturing the "big man" and rejecting the achievements he had listed. The
president had traveled through London, November 19, after a meeting at the
European Union in Belgium. He might have suspected things were not going
well, when he could not secure a meeting with British Prime Minister Tony
Blair.
Yet, he would make the best of his visit by lecturing to this captive
audience here at the Royal National Hotel-London. The president was talking
about how his government, now more than 20 years in power, had routed black
market profiteering from the Ugandan economy, and had linked Entebbe Town to
Kampala and Mukono-the UPE which had failed UPC, yet it was in their 1962
manifesto--the president was adding more accomplishments when Dr. Kasaato in
the audience begged to differ.
Loudly at that, "Ugandans are sick and tired of your lies, leadership and
indeed dictatorship," shouted Coordinator for Justice Forum UK-Chapter and
G6-UK spokesman, Dr. Kasaato, clearly unimpressed with the string of
achievements the president announced.
"You higher institutions of learning and boast of UPE, world wide have you
ever seen any country employing Primary pupils?" shouted Dr. Kasaato.
President Museveni who is used to lectures and bullies whoever he hosts had
never witnessed such resistance from Dr. Kasaato since the fall of his
predecessors, former dictator Idi Amin and Dr. Apollo Milton Obote in 1979
and 1986 respectively.
"You have been killing children for 20 years," Kasaato declared, to the
stunned president, who at first appeared amused, but gradually lost his
composure as the unscheduled lecture continued. "You talk about security in
the country-what security? Uganda's borders don't end at Nakasongola."
Kasaato was referring to the fact that the northern part of the country has
been ignored, economically discriminated against, and engulfed in war for
two decades. Museveni's beefy body guards, not used to seeing the "big man"
berated, wanted to make a move-but their boss, shrewdly aware of his
audience, diplomats, potential investors, and journalists, brushed them off.
"Mwache," he said, in Kiswahili, meaning, "leave him alone." He added, using
the renowned Museveni charm: "This is democracy."
Again, Kasaato was unimpressed. "What democracy?" he demanded. "Yesterday
you stopped a political party from launching just party cards." Kasaato was
referring to the Uganda riot police's disruption of a party membership and
fund drive by the Forum For Democratic Change (FDC) the previous day in
Kampala-FDC chief Dr. Kizza Besigye had been routed by police tear gas when
he tried to attend the rally, even as hundreds of Ugandans cheered him on.
His supporters had running battles with police.
"You kill people, our relatives and citizens are in prison," the lecture
continued. "Detentions are the norm of your security operation. You have
militarized the police force. You bribed to change the constitution to be
life president." Here in London, there were no "riot" police officers to
rout Kasaato with tear gas.
It was a brand of democracy that the "big man" was clearly not used to and
his composed demeanor began to unravel. "What economic successes are you
talking about?" Kasaato demanded. "The country has no electricity,
businesses are failing, there is not water, you don't pay people's pensions,
and our people are poor. There are strikes all the time."
There was no stopping Kasaato. Was he speaking for countless
Ugandans-perhaps a silent majority? "You're interfering with everything in
government operation and hindering people's capacity to work."
Then came the coup de grace. "You are a war criminal and not a freedom
fighter."
Before Sunday-chaos at Royal National Hotel, Kasaato, who is also the
Secretary of MUOS-UK and Chairman, Prince Dickson Wasajja, had on Thursday,
November 16, petitioned the Queen of England, Commonwealth, African Union
and the Speaker of Parliament Edward Ssekandi over the closure of Makerere
University.
Later, some in the audience marveled at Kasaato for his daring. Was this the
beginning of something new? Are Ugandans, indeed, tired of silence?
Some could only compare Kasaato's verbal display to that of the first person
who jeered the late Romania dictator, Nicolai Ceausescu....
The Mulindwas Communication Group
"With Yoweri Museveni, Uganda is in anarchy"
Groupe de communication Mulindwas
"avec Yoweri Museveni, l'Ouganda est dans l'anarchie"
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