Dear Gen. Saleh, an apology to Dr Besigye and the country will suffice

Salim Saleh and Muhoozi Kainerugaba

Dear Gen. Saleh, for the last couple of weeks, the government newspaper, *The New Vision *has published stories about negotiations to release Dr Kizza Besigye and Haji Obeid Lutale.

While this is a notable development, and should have happened yesterday, we have many questions as a public. You have to carry us along this journey – of negotiations and forgiveness – since the country has spent enormous amounts of money, time and nervousness on the matter of Dr Besigye.

But while talking through religious leaders is a good thing, it would be better to talk to the man himself or his immediate family. Notably, his wife, Eng. Winnie Byanyima has publicly denied any negotiations.

With Dr Besigye ill, who are you then talking to with authority to take decisions on his behalf? Who has also told the country his release is not negotiable? With due respect, good soldier, religious leaders are currently one of the most emasculated constituencies in the country as they are seen as spineless in the face of abuse.

To this end, it is arguable you are simply talking to them and will simply release the man claiming “concluded negotiations.” We see you, comrade.

**WAS THERE A CASE IN THE FIRST PLACE? **

The entire country has watched your case collapse in record time. It began with a reported audio incriminating Dr Besigye where he allegedly summarized all his intentions in over two minutes.

There was never a longer version where he meets his co-conspirators. They never greet nor chit-chat before he says all the treasonable stuff. Oh, how our friend, Andrew Mwenda – now NRM/PLU power-broker and politician – overdid himself on this one!

He shouted down anyone who disagreed, and this audio was the litmus test. It was like cinema. Then came the dismantling of the Military Court Martial as unconstitutionally constituted.

Instead of releasing the man immediately, you held onto him, and then hounded him into a civilian court. It was in bad faith. Then came the inexplicable and absolute bad-faith actions of Justice Baguma, to the visibly confused witness, Andrew Wilson Orlando.

We still struggle to understand how this entire thing was put together. Even when Besigye’s lawyers were denied chance to do their job – with senior Counsel Erias Lukwago abducted and humiliated – the state lawyers, without cutting a sweat, saw the case collapse on its head.

Consider these Intelligence Series, notably published in The Independent magazine (whose managing editor, Andrew Mwenda, has been exchanging love letters with the president).

About the same time your state picked Dr Besigye from Nairobi on grounds that he planned to assassinate Museveni and start an insurrection, there was intelligence of similar plans to assassinate Kenyan President William Ruto.

All intelligence came from Uganda. In fact, President Yoweri Museveni sent an intelligence officer called Amon directly to William Ruto to brief him. But when Amon interacted with the Kenyan intelligence community, they dismissed his intelligence below the level of nonsense.

Amon, according to The Independent, is currently in Luzira. How do you expect Ugandans to believe the same intelligence community that Amon worked for in the case of Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye?

Consider also that senior intelligence officers (Major General Abel Kandiho and retired Brigadier General Charles Bakahumura, Major James Birungi, among others), who worked at the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence are currently in detention for fabricating intelligence.

Fabricating, not mistakes. Who then would believe this community on a man of immense opposition political influence? You have more work to do, good soldier, on resuscitating the image of the Ugandan intelligence.

The point I am making is this: it becomes obvious, Gen. Saleh, that the state cannot credibly sustain its side of the case. It is clear as daylight that for this whole time you and colleagues have been involved in a blatant persecution of your former NRA comrade.

This is so regrettable. In the same breath, everyone – and I mean everyone – can read through this thinly-veiled attempt to save face and come off as empathetic and reconciliatory. It is not working, good soldier.

**A PUBLIC APOLOGY **

I want to propose to you, Gen. Saleh, that against all the inconsistencies above, the more prudent, more strategic thing to do is a heartfelt public apology. Tell Ugandans that you and co. acted on fake intelligence (and there are men in jail already) and are truly sorry.

It could be a recorded message or a live broadcast on UBC. As the co-president, you have been throughout these 40 years, you are able to speak on behalf of your team and the country will believe you.

As soon as the broadcast is completed, release all these men immediately. Let them return to their families. Let them receive urgent medical care they so badly need. This would be an absolute moment of truth and reconciliation – perhaps the one you are aspiring for in attempting to offer an olive branch to Dr Besigye, the one he is rejecting.

Because from the events outlined above, Besigye is not guilty in the eyes of the public. Indeed, from the initiative of negotiation, and the intensity it has garnered, it seems you, too, agree that the prosecution gamble has failed.

I will conclude on this: you might go ahead and release him after “negotiations.” As usual, you may never explain to us how these negotiations happened. But, believe you me, good soldier, we will never forgive you.

The chroniclers of history will have no kind words for you. Because in our eyes – and you seem to agree, there is no case. Nothing better than a genuine statement of apology.

[email protected]

The author is a political theorist based at Makerere University

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