Besigye Lauds President Museveni On Peace And Security

SOURCE: THE RED PEPPER, 31 JANUARY 2013

http://www.redpepper.co.ug/?p=5347

Former FDC President Kiiza Besigye

Former Forum for Democratic Change president Col .Kizza Besigye has in a surprise turn heaped praise on his political nemesis, Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni for restoring peace to the country.

Besigye who is not known to acknowledge the positives of the ruling National resistance Movement headed by President Museveni revealed this on Wednesday in an interview. He however faulted the President for diverting off the mission that inspired the 1981-86 guerrilla war that catapulted the NRA to power.

“I supported the intentions of the bush war which brought the NRM to power, but I am ashamed of what is going on in this leadership.” Besigye said

Besigye’s comments come as the ruling NRM celebrates its 27^th anniversary.

Besigye also said corruption in the country has reached unbelievable heights, with numerous scandals coming up every day, criticizing the use of public resources by the top leaders at the expense of the poor masses.

He cited the poor people mostly in the Eastern region who have suffered to an extent of being eaten up by jiggers as the leader lives in extravagance.

Kiiza Besigye contested for the presidency three times in 2001, 2006 and 2011 but lost all to Yoweri Museveni.

The retired Colonel served as Museveni’s personal physician in the National Resistance Army (NRA), when the group waged a guerilla war in the early 1980s and held ministerial positions after the former captured power in 1986.

In 1999, he applied to leave the army after authoring a damning dossier against the government and parted ways with his former commander forming opposition pressure group Reform Agenda before the advent of FDC.

Last year he relinquished power to Mugisha Muntu after retiring from his position as FDC president.