Former Forum for Democratic Change president Dr.Kizza Besigye has dismissed as baseless, reports of an impending national dialogue between the opposition and the ruling government.
This week, the Inter Religious Council of Uganda and the Elders Forum revealed that preparations are in high gear to have the national dialogue in October and that among those to attend include President Museveni and Besigye.
Addressing journalists at his home in Kasangati on Friday, the opposition strongman said he had been approached on several occasions by members of the Inter Religious Council and the Elders’ Forum even while still in Luzira prison, but said no conclusion had ever been reached on the issue of the national dialogue as is being portrayed.
“We have never reached an agreement on having a national dialogue with anyone. I was surprised they (Inter Religious Council) announced the dialogue process without our consent. There can’t be dialogue without intense pressure from the population,” Besigye told the news conference.
“I was surprised that they have gone ahead and started the process of convening the dialogue.”
Besigye stressed that the issue of national dialogue must be handled with care and should not be a political affair but rather one that brings together all the stakeholders in the country, religions inclusive.
According to Besigye, there is need to look at the problems that are facing the country since independence. He says it should not be about partisan politics between the ruling NRM against the opposition but rather justice on one side against injustice on the other side.
“Our country cannot afford to have the (Religious leaders) being neutral on a matter that is central to that discussion. The challenge of our country is not partisan. It is between those fighting for justice and those perpetuating injustice.”
“The people who lead religious organizations in our country should be at the forefront fighting for justice. Religious leaders should not be neutral in the national dialogue because they must be voices of the people,” he said.
He said there cannot be a dialogue when the citizens are not at the forefront of pushing for the idea of sitting together.
Conditions
The opposition strongman said that for many years they (opposition) have been yearning for a national dialogue, but there were conditions set in 2011 after the general elections that would first need consideration before the dialogue can go on.
“As all parties represented in the 9th parliament, we deliberated on this matter of national dialogue. We agreed that there should be a clear agenda before the dialogue starts and high on it is the issue of elections,” Besigye said.
He said there ought to be an audit of the elections as part of the agenda for the national dialogue.
According to Besigye, there should be an agreement on who to be part of the dialogue, stressing that there are so many ‘briefcase’ organizations that tend to turn up whenever there is an opportunity like this but said there is need to tame them.
“This is what happened in Moshi in 1979 and the results of it were disastrous. We must have agreements on who should legitimately be part of the dialogue.”
The opposition strongman said they is need to streamline how the decisions of the dialogue will be implemented and that it should not be a mere meeting and photo opportunity like before, but meaningful engagement with tangible outcomes.
“We don’t want to find ourselves in the situation of lamenting after the dialogue. It is true there has been engagement on these conditions but not agreement has ever been reached but should it be there, we are ready for the dialogue.”
“There is no way I as Besigye will participate in any form of dialogue that is simply for taking photographs and having public relations exercises. There is no process I am involved in interacting with any other person because I have no issues with anyone not even Mr.Museveni,”the opposition strongman said.