President Yoweri Museveni said he will ask the Electoral Commission and the Police to investigate Dr. Kizza Besigye over allegations that he incited the residents of Bukalasi sub-county on Mount Elgon National Park to invade and cut the forest down for charcoal.
picture PPU picture
“I hear Besigye came here and said he will allow you to take over the forest. I am going to find out if I cannot arrest Besigye and put him in prison, because that is criminal. I am going to take it up with the Electoral Commission and even the Police; this is nonsense, this is cheap politics,” Museveni said.
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential flag-bearer, while addressing a rally at Bulucheke sub-county headquarters in Bududa district on Saturday, took time to educate the residents about the importance of the forest, not only to them, but the whole eastern region.
People living along the Mt. Elgon National Park borders use the fringes of the forest to cultivate food crops, but in most cases end up entering deep into the park, cutting down and burning trees and putting themselves in conf ict with the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).
“I have discussed the issue of the national park with your leaders and we agreed on many things. I am going to send the Prime Minister, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, to sit with you, here. Even when you are cutting your fingernails, you don’t cut deep into the flesh, because you will create wounds,” he said.
picture PPU picture
Museveni who was accompanied by his wife Janet, compared Dr. Besigye to a woman who accepted that a child she was claiming motherhood over be cut into two.
“In the biblical story, King Solomon when confronted with a challenge of determining the real mother of the baby, asked them if he could cut the baby into two and each takes half. The real mother said do not cut the baby and allowed that the other woman keeps it.” Museveni added: “Besigye is speaking like somebody who is not the mother of Uganda; this is criminal, I am going to get the tape of what he said and study it. If he said that, I am going to take it up.”
ironko resident brave heavy rains to attend resident useveni rallies at asaba secondary school in udadiri on riday ictures by Sironko resident brave heavy rains to attend President Museveni rallies at Masaba secondary school in Budadiri on Friday.
Besigye is alleged to have told the people of Bukalasi during his campaign trail in the area that the people should access the forest and cut the trees. The Mt. Elgon forest issue is thorny in the region. While in Bungokho, Museveni was confronted by the Mbale district LC5 chairman, Bernard Mujasi, asking the President to stop UWA from harassing the residents of Busano, Wanale sub-county that borders the Mt. Elgon forest.
Museveni promised to send the Inspector General of Police, Gen. Kale Kayihura, to intervene.
