MPs from Kasese have ruled out talks with government if the Rwenzururu king Wesley Mumbere and some of his subjects are not released.
During prayers for Kasese district organised by the opposition Forum for Democratic Change party (FDC) at their offices in Najjanankumbi, the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Winnie Kiiza, read a joint statement by legislators from Kasese saying that they cannot hold talks with government when the ground is not levelled.
“We wished to have dialogue but now we cannot without our king. It is his palace that was attacked. It is his people that were killed, therefore he should be the one leading our side in the negotiations, unless he and other suspects are released, we shall not consider dialogue,” said Kiiza, the Kasese Woman MP.
Kiiza added that they were considering writing to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to hold both President Museveni as the commander in chief and Brig Peter Elwelu as the operation commander accountable for the number of innocent lives lost in the Sunday raid.
“Innocent unarmed people were killed and we are in a process of taking Museveni to the ICC together with his commander. We are finalising on this and we are also fundraising for this cause,’ she said, adding, “Mumbere is in prison but his heart is out here with us. You my kill us but you won’t kill the movement.”
Mumbere was arrested on Sunday and later charged with murder, after soldiers and police attacked his Kasese-based palace – in a conflict that has killed between 60 and 104 people.
Former FDC president Kizza Besigye, speaking at the same function, said: “There is need for international investigations into what is going on in the Rwenzori sub-region and all international organisations serving justice must pick up this issue.”
Party president Mugisha Muntu accused the police and army of using “excessive” force on barely-armed citizens, adding that the government had no will to solve the complex conflict.
“We want to know why they were in such haste to attack the palace which they had actually surrounded. They were probably in no threat of attack from within or without the palace,” Maj Gen Muntu said.
Muntu, a former army commander, said the army should have besieged the palace as talks went on. He warned that if the government does not abandon the use of excessive force, the country may get plunged into turmoil.
The prayers for Kasese were attended by various religious leaders and black-clad politicians such as FDC chairman Wasswa Biriggwa and secretary for mobilisation Ingrid Turinawe, Kampala lord mayor Erias Lukwago, MPs and councillors.
The day’s preacher, Pastor Happy Ngabo, asked politicians, religious leaders and other people not to fear to speak out against injustices.
“If you are scared of death, you need to die because if you die, then you will no longer be scared of death,” Ngabo said. “Do not be threatened when they say they will kill you. Do not keep quite because they gave you nice cars.”
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