Opposition strongman Col. Kizza Besigye over the weekend extended a veiled statement to those perceived as NRM loyalists saying they shouldn’t claim to love his longtime political nemesis- President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni more than he did before the duo fell out.
Besigye issued a stinging revelation in Kiruhura District while attending a wedding ceremony of Emmanuel and Peninah Nabimanya.
The FDC heavyweight was invited as chief guest by his friend James Matagiz, a father to the groom.
In attendance were several government big shots and security chiefs including Minister and UPDF General Elly Tumwine whom in his speech, Besigye kept referring to.
Taking to the podium, Besigye began his speech, urging the people of Kirihura, a stronghold of the ruling party and the President’s native home, to love one another as written in the bible regardless of political differences.
He then responded to earlier suggestions that he should return to the ruling party.
“The people of Buremba I want to remind you that in 1980, I was among a few people who traversed this area campaigning for Museveni in the UPM- Uganda Patriotic Movement,” said Besigye, arousing thunderous applause.
He added: “But you rejected him and voted Kuteesa who was in DP.”
Besigye said the area residents shunned Museveni on grounds that he had no cows neither a house.
“After the election I was arrested and detained. Many of whom I was incarcerated with up to now have never been seen again. It was the grace of God that I survived and went to Kenya and began a new life as a doctor,” narrated Besigye.
To further exude his love, he had for Museveni, Besigye said he abandoned a well paying job in Kenya and joined Museveni in the bush in 1982, went through hell in a war that claimed over 500000 lives.
It’s at this point that he scoffed at all those surrounding Museveni claiming to be loyal to him.
“You don’t love him more than I did when he had nothing, you are simply targeting something from him.”
His statement sent the locals into ‘wild excitement.’
He clarified that what however, engineered the split was the injustice imposed on him by Museveni.
“The same injustice that forced us to go to the bush had come to haunt us. It was the 1980 election mess that sent us to the bush. But I can tell you that in 2016, before EC announced the result I was already in prison. Is this why we fought?” Besigye said as he concluded his brief speech re-echoing ‘
love’ as a core value of human existence.
