Uganda faces deeper crisis as opposition snubs talks

The talks that had been called for May 2 aren't expected to provide a solution to the chaos that has gripped Kampala, Uganda, for the last three weeks because opposition leaders have snubbed them. Opposition politicians involved in the walk-to-work demonstrations say they are in principle not opposed to talks with government but can "only participate in structured talks with a neutral and respectable mediator."

Government has called for talks under the auspices of the donor-sponsored Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD) to reach common ground with its opponents and end the demonstrations that have already claimed at least ten lives and injured hundreds.

But the call for talks is widely understood as an attempt by government to create the impression that it is concerned about resolving the issue, with Museveni’s government desperate to reclaim its image.

President Yoweri Museveni, who was among the group of African leaders that Washington dubbed the “New Breed of African Leaders” in the early 1990s for restoring political stability and implementing economic reforms, is now among the longest serving African rulers and has been accused of every deed African dictators of old were accused of.

As Security Minister Amama Mbabazi called for talks on April 28, security officers were engaged in scenes similar to the macabre Idi Amin dictatorship of the 1970s against the main opposition leader. Kizza Besigye’s car’s windscreens were smashed using hammers and gun butts, he was pepper-sprayed, dragged out of his car and stuffed below the seats of a police patrol vehicle.

He said he was headed to his bank but police demanded that he takes a different direction. Security lost patience as he argued his right to go wherever he wanted, leading to the grisly incidents. 

On April 29, Besigye underwent an operation in a Nairobi (Kenya) hospital on his eyes to recover his sight that was lost due to the pepper spay. His trip was delayed for an hour and it took the intervention of the American Ambassador to convince government to okay the flight. The opposition say this is further demonstration of government’s lack of good will to engage them. 

Given the manner of Besigye’s arrest, his supporters took to streets and the riots that engulfed most of Kampala and other towns on April 29 left at least 5 people dead, 10 nursing live bullet wounds while hundreds were hospitalised due to inhaling tear gas and pepper spray, according to the Red Cross.

Besigye’s violent re-arrest came hardly 24 hours after he had been released on bail after spending Easter in jail. He had been arrested on April 19 for participating in the walk-to-work campaign, having been earlier arrested and released on bail on two occasions.

He was incarcerated 60 miles away from the city to prevent his supporters from attempting to invade the prison  and on release the magistrate gave stringent bail conditions – he wouldn’t participate in “the purported breach of public peace for at least seven months” or else he would have to execute a bail sum of Shs 50 million (about $ 22,000).

But immediately he was released, he urged Ugandans to walk-to-work the following day (April 28) in protest against the high fuel, food and commodity prices. Whereas inflation was five percent in February, it is now over 14 percent and critics argue that whereas there is an international dimension to it, the government’s profligate expenditure is especially to blame. 

The walk-to-work protests are anchored on a matter that touches many people and government is jittery about a possible Tunisia/Egypt scenario. They have responded with highhandedness.

Despite widespread condemnation of the manner of Besigye’s arrest and brutalisation of protesters, Internal Affairs Minister Kirunda Kivejinja said Besigye deserved it. President Museveni, in a televised address to the nation, also blamed the “irresponsible behaviour” of the opposition politician for the incidents.

The standoff appears set to continue and the other opposition politicians have vowed to continue with their walk-to-work campaign on Mondays and Thursdays.