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Ugandan Opposition Candidate Accuses President of Genocide

   Peter Clottey 05 January 2011
   Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni (Jul 2010 file photo)

Photo: AFP

   Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni (Jul 2010 file photo)

   A  Ugandan  opposition  presidential  candidate  said President Yoweri
   Museveni  issued  an  arrest  warrant against him after he accused Mr.
   Museveni of masterminding a āsilent genocideā in northern Uganda.

   Ambassador  Olara  Otunnu,  presidential  candidate  of the opposition
   Uganda  Peopleās  Congress,  told VOA he has documentary evidence that
   shows  President  Museveni was complicit in the murder of thousands of
   residents in northern Uganda.

   āThe  reason  is  that  he  (Mr.  Museveni) is unhappy about a body of
   evidence,  which  I  presented  before the Ugandan people (Tuesday) in
   Kampala.  I put before the public various articles I wrote documenting
   the  genocide  in northern Uganda by (Mr.) Museveni. And, I put before
   the  public (a) compendium of facts and figures, which I compiled over
   the years,ā said Otunnu.

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   Ambassador  Olara  Otunnu,  presidential  candidate  of the opposition
   Uganda Peopleās Congress

   āI added to it a recent document put in the public domain by Professor
   Whitmore  of  Notre  Dame  University in the United States. Police are
   apparently on their way to Lira to execute the arrest warrant (against
   me).ā

   Addressing  a  news  conference  in  the  capital, Kampala, Ambassador
   Otunnu  accused Mr. Museveni of plotting and using the infamous Lordās
   Resistance  Army  (LRA)  rebels to commit acts of genocide in northern
   Uganda to take over the fertile land of the Acholi ethnic group.

   Meanwhile,   Ugandan   police   say  they  have  launched  a  criminal
   investigation   into   Otunnuās  claims  and  demanded  proof  of  his
   accusations.

   This  came  after  Ugandaās parliament allocated 602 billion shillings
   (about ($258 million US) to the presidential office ahead of the 18^th
   February general elections.

   Several  opposition  groups  condemned  the  move saying the earmarked
   funds are aimed to boost President Museveniās re-election bid.

   Otunnu  said  Mr. Museveni is determined to make a mockery of Ugandaās
   democracy.

   āIt  is  now clear that (Mr.) Museveni is doing everything to make the
   elections  a  sham. (Mr.) Museveni has said repeatedly in recent weeks
   that  he  doesnāt  care  what  the  electorate  says, he is not moving
   anywhere  (and)  that he came to power through a bush war, and that he
   will  only  hand  over power through a handpicked successor from those
   who fought with him in the bush.ā

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