Besigye rejects talks led by clerics

He also reiterated his previous position that there must be an agreed agenda on the national dialogue before it takes place.

Dr Besigye was addressing the media at his Kasangati home in Wakiso District following an announcement by the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU)and the Elders Forum, to have a dialogue between the government and the Opposition, scheduled to start in Octobe.

Dr Besigye, said religious leaders can not be neutral arbiters and observers since they have a stake in any discussion about the country.

“In my interactions with them [religious leaders and elders], I appealed to them to take a position on what is happening in the country and therefore in the dialogue that is envisaged, I appeal to them to be an interested stakeholder. They must be seated on the table amongst other stakeholders. They can’t be a neutral party, organising and moderating and having no view in what is taking place on the table,” Dr Besigye said.

The Opposition leader and former presidential candidate also explained that matters of “justice, peace and national security” are not partisan that religious leaders and elders are obliged to play a neutral role.

“People who lead religious organisations in our country should be at the forefront of fighting injustice because all religions as we know them, their leaderships must be voices of their people,” Dr Besigye argued.

Dr Besigye said he had met the IRCU and Elders Forum team twice at his home and during his recent detention at Luzira prison.

Although he declared his commitment to dialogue, he said he did not reach any position with the team on the process of the talks.

He said he was “surprised” and “taken aback” to hear that the religious leaders and elders had started the process of dialogue and even set up a secretariat for that purpose.

“At no time have we agreed on a process in the terms that they indicated in their statement,” Dr Besigye said.

He said if the religious leaders and elders are keen to being part of the organisers of the dialogue, they have to engage with the four key issues including having a mutually agreed agenda, an agreement on who convenes and moderates the dialogue, who will be part of the dialogue and a clear understanding of how the decisions of the dialogue will be implemented.

“It is not something one wakes up and says I am going to organise this. It is not like the presidential debate where you invite candidates to come and debate. This is a far more complex, far more serious issue that a lot of ground work must be undertaken before dialogue takes place,” he said.

The religious leaders and elders early this year organised two historic presidential debates that brought together all candidates for the first time to debate ahead of the presidential election.
Since the February 18 general election, there have been several efforts led by different people to have political dialogue in the country to resolve or mitigate the animosity between the Opposition and the government.

“It would appear that the announcement by the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda and the Elders Forum was oblivious of the other initiatives that have been taking place some of which have made some strides towards a national dialogue,” Dr Besigye said.

Dr Besigye also put government and President Museveni, in particular, on notice to expect a big fight if the incumbent attempts to appoint a new Electoral Commission without reforms on the composition and membership of the electoral body. The term of the current EC expires in November this year.

“We have to put the regime on notice that we shall not accept another “Museveni commission” at any rate lying down. We will call upon all Ugandans who want political stability and therefore peace to stand up to the regime,” Dr Besigye warned.

The failure to have reforms to appoint a reputable and widely acceptable commission, according to Dr Besigye, will plunge the country into chaos.

“The country is moving to another crisis over the Electoral Commission because of the intransigence of Mr Museveni and his regime. He wants again to appoint another “Museveni commission” and carry on business as usual. Our people have been saying, tell us what to do. I think this is the time we will have to tell our people what to do and what to do cannot include to let it pass. We cannot let another Museveni commission pass,” Besigye said.
He said if government is serious about any dialogue, they should start with dialoguing on the EC issue

Reaction

“Whatever the President does in regard to appointment of the new EC members will be in pursuit of the mandate given to him by the constitution. FDC or any other person can only be concerned if the President acts contrary to the constitution framework,” ICT and Information minister Frank Tumwebaze.

“I don’t think they are the ones to set the timetable for the dialogue. It is like a wedding committee meeting and announcing a date for the wedding before listening to the bride and groom. I agree with Besigye that we should be talking about the agenda. We cannot have dialogue as a ritual. We need to start with an agenda,” DP President Norbert Mao

“The national dialogue is very good but it should not be between Dr Besigye and President Museveni. As a party, we have always involved people and we are open to dialogue. National dialogue must be about progress and unity.”
RICHARD TODWONG, Deputy Secretary General, NRM

“The dialogue is an all-inclusive process that will start from the grassroots to the national level. We are not moderating but facilitating the dialogue process. All the different parties will agree. If you look around the country, which other parties will lead this? Who has the capacity to convene? It is the religious leaders,”
Joshua Kitakule, Secretary General of the Inter Religious Council of Uganda.