I have listened to a CBS “kiriza oba gaana”audio doing rounds on social media where the Butambala MP Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi refers to JEEMA as basazi bansawo (pick pockets) simply because JEEMA attended the IPOD summit meeting.
I want to remind Mr Muwanga that JEEMA did not solely start IPOD. It was started by six political parties including
DP, CP, FDC, JEEMA, NRM and UPC in 2009.
The organs of the IPOD were not constituted by JEEMA but it was out of negotiations from different political parties that formed IPOD. The Summit is one of such organs. It comprise of the political party heads. Other organs are Council of Secretaries General that comprise of the secretaries generals
and the Secretariat composed of two members recommended by political parties.
The two organs have been sitting for the last 8 years and no alarm has been made. When it came to the meeting of the Summit, I don’t know why it warranted insults to fellow comrades in the struggle. Mr Museveni is the chairman of NRM and we did not designate that responsibility to him.
I also found it illogical calling names, the President General of your party, the Hon Norbert Mao because he held a different view from yours.
I understand all the insults pelted to us are driven by the fact that we agreed to be in a meeting where Mr Museveni was present not so?
I kindly request that you apply the humility and exercise high restraint those opposed to opposition members meeting with Mr Museveni exercised when you met him in State House with the committee of defense. We have the record of that meeting.
Justice Forum has opposed the Museveni regime since 1996 and no one can lecture us on how to oppose the system we are ideologically opposed to.
My appeal to those who think talking with Mr Museveni is sacrilegious (especially MPs) is that be honest and show the public that you are seriously opposed to everything Museveni is involved in –
First by resigning your seats in Parliament because it’s a Museveni established and controlled organ.
Secondly resign from your positions as shadow ministries as they legitimise Museveni as the head of state and his executive as the real cabinet.
Thirdly, don’t participate in Museveni organised elections anymore.
Short of that, stop the hypocrisy, double standards and learn to respect other people’s decisions even when you disagree with them. As a brother, it would also be a wise idea to stop insulting your own Party President in public as it reflects poorly on you as a person. Morals never hurt anybody.
I want to thank fellow leaders in FDC for disagreeing honourably without demonizing others. JEEMA respected their right to stay away, for the reasons they put in writing. Of course their overzealous lower cadre have as usual gone over board in the past few days.
Our last appeal to our colleagues in the struggle, is that such derogatory remarks and language that threaten our coexistence should be stopped however self-righteous we might want to appear, especially when we are on media.
Ssentongo Abdunoor Kyamundu
Spokesperson, Justice Forum/JEEMA
