Greetings from FORT PORTAL City, the city that represents the beautiful country Uganda. I am writing from the foothills of Rwenzori Mountain National Park, 32 Km from Kibale National Park, 26km from Tooro Game Reserve and the land with 52 crater lakes.
I write with pain following the nasty episodes witnessed by the residents, of FORT PORTAL City. I write with regrets that our community supported your rebellion after being duped that the 1980 elections were rigged, unfair and marred with malpractices.
Today, we became victims of election violence where the Uganda Police, Uganda People’s Defence Forces released teargas and live bullets, beating citizens, and above all manhandling a duly nominated presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi.
For our families that supported the NRA in all ways imaginable – sending sons and daughters to fight in the war where many perished, providing food, shelter, and financial services – we have been betrayed.
The presidential candidate was manhandled, beaten, denied access to the campaign venue. The BODA BODA riders were beaten, insulted belittled. Their crime was putting on T-shirts with the photo of Robert Kyagulanyi.
Mr. President if you don’t believe in competition, fairness and respect, it would have been wise to rule by decree.
For some of us who lost loved ones in the past regimes fear for our children. These violent episodes remind us of the past and scares us of the future.
At 80+ years you have a decade to be on earth unless the Lord is generous with you like he has been to keep you in power for the next 20 years.
I request you to pause, reflect, and ask yourself how your great-grandchildren will co-exist with a brutal police force when you are gone? What legacy do you want to be remembered for? That your regime(s) conducted violent elections and people died for exercising their civic rights? Why, then, did you go to war after the 1980 elections? Did you mobilize our sons and daughters to join you in order to establish another brutal and ruthless regime similar to the ones you fought?
I pray that the Lord touches your heart to reflect upon the future of this country beyond you.
If you get an opportunity you can watch the video recordings of what happened yesterday, Tuesday.
FORT PORTAL City is named a tourism city. Tourists are scared by violence; in fact, you have broken the doors and the livelihoods of the people of Tooro.
Did you know that some of the supporters you addressed on Saturday felt ashamed to associate with the regime any longer? Tooro people are peaceful and whatever happened yesterday(Tuesday] was a betrayal of the trust they had in you.
In TOORO WE have what we call OBUNTU. Mr President remember the agenda you told the people of TOORO.
The brutality against a duly nominated presidential candidate watched by our children today will forever remain a dent on your leadership. Similar shameful actions have been witnessed in Gulu, Hoima and Nakawa in Kampala this week.
If the army and police are doing these actions out of excitement they surely should pay for their actions.
I am a resident of Kahinju Ward