TEN REASONS WHY COL. BESIGYE MUST APOLOGIZE TO THE PEOPLE OF RUKUNGIRI AND THE PRESIDENT OF UGANDA By Professor Venansius Baryamureeba, PhD I have read several articles in the papers like Monitor Publications Ltd and the Observer News Paper, the most recent one being in the Observer Newspaper all defending Col Besigye’s disgracing actions on the 51st Independence celebrations that were held in Rukungiri on 9th October 2013. I also watched and listened to Col. Besigye on NTV and KFM Radio respectively after that embarrassing incident in Rukungiri. Politicians can and should always find any reason to justify anything they do but in this case Col Besigye must apologize to the People of Rukungiri and the President of Uganda for the following 10 reasons: (i) The people of Rukungiri were the host of the 51st independence celebrations and Col Besigye accepted their invitation to attend these celebrations. So Col. Besigye who has always stressed that power belongs to the people cannot be the same person to walk out on the ceremony organized and hosted by the people of Rukungiri without seeking their views. (ii) Col Besigye as an aspiring national leader, aspiring President of Uganda at that must know that charity begins at home and he is bound to respect the same national events he hopes to preside over in future; (iii) The people of Rukungiri have always stood with Col Besigye even when he was being retired from the army and that he should likewise have stood with them and not walked out of their function even if there were any shortcomings from the Deputy MC of the 51st independence celebrations; (iv) If Col Besigye does not apologize it will go in history that one of the aspiring national leaders hailing from Rukungiri District walked away from a national function in his own district to the utter disgrace of both national and international guests including the President of Mozambique. (v) Col. Besigye denied the people of Rukungiri and fellow Ugandans an opportunity to hear what President Museveni would have said about him before not only the people of Rukungiri but the whole world had he not walked away before the end of the 51st independence celebrations. To historians and Ugandans at large, this is a lost opportunity in the history of our country. (vi) Col. Besigye as an aspiring national leader who held senior positions in government including that of National Political Commissar must know that there is a thing in government called protocol. So it was total disrespect for government protocol for Col. Besigye to arrive after the Chief Guest, the President of Uganda had arrived at a national functional yet he was watching the independence proceedings from his house that was near the independence celebrations grounds. Needless to mention the President of Uganda arrived at least 40 minutes after the arrival of the Vice President. So who was Col. Besigye to arrive after the President of Uganda? Col Besigye needs to humble himself as in Philippians 2: 3-11. (vii) It is lack of civility for Col Besigye to refer to President Museveni as Mr. Museveni every time he refers to the current President of Uganda; I wattched him on NTV refer to the President of Uganda as Mr. Museveni all the time in total shock. Evenn Rt. Hon Laila Odinga refers to Kenyatta as President Kenyatta. (viii) As in Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 there is time for everything. There is a time for an aspiring leader like Col Besigye to be humble, to be calm, to be patient and to persevere. But looking at how Col Besigye handled the Betty Kamya and Hon Nabillah Naggayi disagreements within FDC, how he has continued to behave within FDC under Gen Muntu Presidency and now how he reacted to the information from the Deputy MC at the 51st independence celebrations on 9th October 2013 in Rukungiri District, I can only say that Col. Besigye needs another 100 years before he can aspire to be a President of Uganda. (ix) If it was the policy of FDC not to go to any national function while the NRM government is in power then it was inexcusable for Col Besigye to go to the Rukungiri independence celebrations just because it was in his home district. As a national leader he should have known that he does not belong to Rukungiri but to the whole country as such he should treat national events whether held in Kampala or Rukungiri the same way. (x) Col Besigye should have been the first to know that ‘’ Courageous leaders don’t make excuses, they apologize’’, Erika Andersen. So if Col. Besigye still aspires to be lead this country, Uganda, he must apologize to both the people of Rukungiri and the President of Uganda. Otherwise he can forget his dream of ever leading this country whose motto is ‘’ For God and My Country’’. I know what I have written may rub some people the wrong way but I am glad I have done so. So let history be the judge. The author is a concerned Ugandan.
Posted on: Sun, 20 Oct 2013 20:13:08 +0000
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