Egwea crosses to NRM from UPC and explains why

London

Former General Secretary of Lango Association UK, Robert Olet Egwea, has decided to join the NRM. He was officially welcomed to the party by Prof Trasis Kabwegere, who is also Ugandan Minister for Disaster Preparedness, during a grand ceremony that took place in South London on June 7 2008.

Hon Prof Kabwegere was officiating as President Museveni’s representative and Head of the Ugandan delegation. A message from the NRM Secretary General and Minister for Security, Hon Amama Mbabazi was also read at the meeting.

Ugandan High Commissioner Joan Rwabyomere (standing) addresses the gathering while Moses Byruhanga (left), Hon Prof Tarsis Kabwegere (right) and Hon Gen Kahinda Otafire (far right) listen attentively (photo by Robert Egwea)

The event was also attended by, among others: Ugandan High Commissioner Mrs Joan Rwabyomere, Minister for Local Government Hon Gen. Kahinder Otafire, Special Presidential Assistant for Political Affairs Mr Moses Byaruhanga and Hon Mutebi Kityo.

Others were executive members of NRM UK & Ireland Chapter. They included the Chairman Patrick Asiimwe, Vice Chair Peter Magomu and Secretary General Titus Kirabu. Other diaspora NRM officials present were Chairman NRM USA Eddy Kironde and Global NRM Chairman Abbey Walusumbi. The Master of Ceremonies was Dr Maxwell Adea and the moderator was Dennis Katungi.

Also present were FDC Vice Chairperson Salamu Musumba and current General Secretary of Lango Association UK Mr Patrick Ogwal Elor.

Part of the audience at Uganda Week event (photo by Robert Egwea)

Robert Egwea was given a platform to explain why he decided to join the NRM. A full copy of his speech is reproduced below:

WHY I DECIDED TO JOIN NRM

Robert Egwea explains why he decided to join NRM (Photo by Geoffrey Akaki)

About 3 years ago, we had a grand Uganda debate here in London to discuss whether President Museveni should be given a third term. I was one of the main speakers opposing the motion, together with Hon Eriya Ketagaya, who now represents Uganda at the East African Legislative Assembly. Those who supported the motion as main speakers were Hon Amama Mbabazi and Hon Prof Tarsis Kabwegyere.

As you all know, a referendum was held in Uganda in 2005 and Ugandans voted overwhelmingly for abolition of term limits.

Today, we, the main speakers of the London third-term debate are on the same side. In fact, since that debate, I have been the odd man out because my friend Eriya Kategaya who had left NRM rejoined the party almost immediately.

Recently, I decided to join the NRM and was given a warm welcome by members of the UK & Ireland Chapter. Since joining the great party, I have been absorbed into the Executive Committee of NRM UK & Ireland Chapter because right from the beginning, I said I am not going to be a passive member, but will play an active role in promoting NRM in the diaspora and back home.

Hon Prof Kabwyegere (in yellow jacket) embraces Mr Egwea as master of ceremony Dr Maxwell Adea (behind camera) and Hon Kahinda Otafiire, Patrick Asiimwe and Magomu Mashate (seated from left) applaud (photo by Geoffrey Akaki)

I should take this opportunity to thank the NRM for accepting my application for membership, and for the trust they have put in me by allowing me to attend executive committee meetings even though I am still new.

Today I can stand in front of you and say with confidence that I support the NRM 100% and will work with the NRM to build a peaceful, united, democratic, harmonious, industrialised, transformed and prosperous Uganda within a strong and united Africa. This is the vision of NRM, and it is a vision that appeals to me personally because I am a nationalist, pan-africanist and an internationalist.

My opposition to removal of term limits three years ago was against the background of prolonged suffering of the people of northern Uganda. At that time thousands of our people were living in camps under inhuman conditions. My perception and indeed the perception of most people from the north was that the government wasn’t doing enough to protect lives and property of the people of the region.

However, for the last 2 years peace has been prevailing in the north and almost all the internally displaced people have returned to their homes. Most of the camps are no more and life is returning back to normal. This is a result of sustained military pressure on the LRA, coupled with peace talks in Juba.

I should point out that the peace talks in Juba have exposed who the real enemies of the people of Uganda are. Before the talks, some people even doubted the existence of Kony and in fact some politicians took advantage of the situation to preach hatred against the NRM by alleging that government troops and not the LRA were the ones abducting children, mutilating and killing innocent civilians in the north.

The peace talks have very clearly exposed the rebels and their collaborators and it has actually emerged that some political parties that are enjoying the privileges of Ugandan parliamentary democracy have links with the LRA through their individual members who joined the LRA willingly (and were not abducted like most LRA combatants), and have since become high ranking LRA officials.

For instance, the party to which I belonged, the Uganda Peoples Congress, which also happens to be the dominant party in Lango where I come from, has never come clean about active participation of some of its key members in the war against the people of Uganda under the auspices of the LRA. It is this kind of hypocrisy, coupled with lack of internal democracy and chronic infighting that prompted me to quit UPC.

I am not the only active UPC member to leave the party for similar reasons. Recently, 5 Members of Parliament and 3 LC 5 Chairmen from Lango, who were locked out by the party during the primaries in 2006 and stood for elections as independents abandoned the UPC completely and signed a pact with FDC.

Let me take this opportunity to call on Hon Ben Wacha, Hon Cecilia Ogwal and colleagues that left UPC for FDC to come and join the winning team – NRM – instead of joining a party that mimics MRM but lacks the capacity to form a government.

After careful analysis of the Ugandan political and economic situation, I have come to the conclusion that of all the political parties in Uganda, only the NRM has the capacity to ensure continuation of economic and political stability in Uganda, a country that was once the “Pearl of Africa” and then became the “Sick Man of Africa” due to dictatorial regimes. Under NRM administration, Uganda has regained its glory and a majority of Ugandans today feel so proud of their country.

I would like to be at the forefront of campaigning for a strong but compassionate leader; a leader that will ensure continued stability and prosperity in Uganda; a leader whose mission is to transform Uganda from a poor peasant society into a modern, industrial, united and prosperous society; a leader who is not afraid of making tough decisions at the right time; and a leader who has restored dignity to Ugandans after decades of brutal dictatorship. That leader is none other that President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

To many people who have known me over the years, my association with NRM might come as a big surprise because I have been in the opposition since the NRM came to power over 20 years ago. All these years, I have been a peace campaigner because I am opposed to war as a means of resolving political problems, and will continue championing the cause for peaceful resolution of conflicts as an NRM member.

I should take this opportunity to appeal to fellow Ugandans and especially those from my own community, the Lango community, which is predominantly UPC, to respect my human right to belong to a political party of my choice. I also want to remind everyone that Uganda is a democratic country where freedom of association is enshrined in the constitution.

I have joined the NRM because I want to help improve the wellbeing of my people by engaging the NRM government from within and not from a hostile position. My attempt to positively engage the government from outside when I successfully organized an international conference on rebuilding Lango, in the capacity of General Secretary of Lango Association UK, was hijacked by hostile forces and consequently nothing good has so far come out of the conference.

The three-day Lango Diaspora Conference which took place in London last August, attracted over 300 people including Lango politicians, technocrats and professionals from all the continents. It was also attended by a member of the British cabinet and top Uganda government officials. Our government was represented by Hon Amama Mbabazi, Hon Omara Atubo and Hon David Wakikona.

Through that conference we managed, for the first time, to bring Lango closer to the government of Uganda in a non-threatening environment. Lots of good things were due to happen as a result of the conference. However, as I said, forces that are hostile to the government of Uganda sabotaged the follow-up of the conference in order to score political goals. So as I speak, nothing good has so far come out of the conference.

Now, as a member of NRM, I feel that I am in a stronger position to represent the voice of the people of Lango to the government. Actually, what emerged from that conference was that the people of Lango have been quite distant from the NRM Government and have therefore not been able to effectively influence government policies especially with regards to development.

Consequently, selfish politicians have continued to exploit the ignorant masses in Lango by encouraging rebellion against the government and sabotaging government and donor funded programmes such as NUSAF and PRDP. Such negative campaigns have made it extremely difficult to implement development programmes in the region, and this is partly why Lango has been lagging behind and is the 6^th least developed region of Uganda.

You know, although the people of Lango have never taken up arms against the NRM government for all these years, they have been involved in a different kind of resistance, which in Lango we call ‘kun’.

‘Kun’ means passive resistance, and it is usually accompanied with sabotage in a sophisticated way. So, while neighbouring districts were busy fighting the NRM with arms, the Langi simply kept quiet, but refused to cooporate with the government and thus making it extremely difficult for government to implement its policies in the region.

When a Lango says “An pe acemo ioti loni”, meaning “Man, I don’t eat in your house”, it means that he wants nothing to do with you and will not beg you even if he is in dire need. But for how long will Lango continue resisting NRM rule?

Let me say this to the people of Lango, and indeed other Ugandans: Uganda has got a democratically elected government. Some people may not agree with some government policies, but for the sake of development, let us give this government a chance. Electioneering should stop during election time. Once elections are over, people should rally behind their leaders and ensure smooth implementation of government programmes.

I would also like to take this opportunity to remind fellow Ugandans, and especially my people, the Langi, of what is written in the Bible regarding government authorities. I am referring to the bible because I know that over 60% of Ugandans are Christians. I believe that even other religions talk about submission to government authorities. Romans chapter 13 from verse 1 says, and I quote: “Everyone must submit to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established”. It continues that “he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves”. Think about this carefully and ask yourselves why the north has been in such a mess for the last 22 years.

So, resistance against NRM rule, perpetuated by some selfish politicians who want to continue eating in confusion by encouraging the people of Lango to keep shunning the NRM government, has put a wedge between the Government of Uganda and the people of Lango. Consequently, Lango has become one of the least developed regions of the country.

I would like to step in and help bridge the gap between the government of Uganda and the people of Lango and the north. Yes, I am doing this for the sake of my people because I believe that if more people from the north embraced the NRM, it would be easier to implement government policies in the region and thus speed up the reconstruction process.

I also believe that the NRM government offers the best opportunities to rebuild the north because it has the best capacity to ensure peace, security and prosperity for all.

I must say that within the short time that I have been a member of NRM, I have witnessed something that I had never experienced in various organizations, including my previous political party i.e. the sense of warmth and brotherhood amongst members. Every member is treated with respect and dignity. More so, I have witnessed a high level of freedom of expression and tolerance. This is a clear sign of advanced political maturity.

I have also realised that when NRM members meet, they are businesslike. Apart from discussing politics, members discuss a wide range of other matters such as business ventures, careers and welfare. NRM members are so supportive to each other, just like brothers and sisters. Now I know why the NRM have been so successful. Those who are not in NRM are missing out on something really special.

I would like to end with a special appeal to people from Lango in particular and the north in general, to embrace the NRM so as to speed up the process of rebuilding the region. Please come and join the winning team. For the sake of development, let us work with the government to rebuild the north. Let us rally behind our President, Yoweri Museveni, so as to ensure maximum peace, security and prosperity for all in Lango, the north and Uganda as a whole.

May God bless you all. May God bless our leaders. May God bless Uganda.

FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY

Filed under: Politics