Aronda warns protestors

SOURCE: DAILY MONITOR, 28 MAY 2011

Gen. Nyakairima, shows the portrait presented to him by the Iganga Municipality mayor during the swearing in ceremony in Iganga . 

The Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Aronda Nyakairima has sternly warned protestors and their leaders, saying they cannot go far.

Gen. Nyakairima advised the leaders of the ongoing walk-to-work protests to lead their people to work instead of violence, the process of choosing leaders has passed and now it was time for work.

“You voted for peace not violence,” said Gen. Nyakairima who was the guest speaker at the swearing-in ceremony of the mayor and councillors of the newly-elevated Iganga Municipality.

Gen. Nyakairima said the country is now peaceful and protestors are wasting time, and called on the leaders of Busoga to shun violence because it would lead them to trouble.Kampala and several towns in the country have experienced protests over skyrocketing commodity and fuel prices. The government says the opposition leaders are using prices to ride into power. So far, two protest schemes, “walk-to-work” and “ride-and-hoot” have generated interest locally and internationally.

“Anyone who disturbs the peace you are enjoying is choosing a dangerous path,” he said. He called on the Basoga to unite in educating their children by improving UPE standards and embrace Naads as a way to fight poverty from the region.

The UPDF chief castigated the Busoga leaders who pull each other down, as the main reason development has eluded several parts of the region. “The time for politics has ended. Now lead your people to work and not violence,” said Gen. Nyakairima.

He continued that the tendencies of leaders pulling each other down has only brought socio-economic stagnation for the region and challenged the new politicians to start their term in office by putting aside their political differences.

“What the common person expects from you, despite your political leanings, are services reaching them,” he said.