Don’t normalize evil acts, Muntu urges NRM government

KAMPALA, UGANDA: Gen Mugisha Muntu, the president of the Alliance for National Transformation-ANT party has called upon Ugandans to hang in and continue speaking against the evil orchestrated by state agents at the expense of Ugandans.

He was addressing journalists at their party headquarters on Wednesday. He accused the ruling National Resistance Movement-NRM government of engaging in evil acts like arbitrary arrests without minding the effects on the citizenry.

The former army commander cited the recent arrest of nine staff of DigiTalk, an online TV by Uganda People’s Defence Forces-UPDF soldiers. Those arrested include the Executive Director Tumuhimbise Norman, Programs Director Mukose Arnold, TV host Faridah Bikobere, and producers Jeremiah Mukiibi, Tumusiime Kato and Roger Tulyahabwe.

Others are Teddy Nabukeera and Lillian Luwedde and an intern student from Uganda Christian University, Jacob Jeje Wabyona. Muntu said that the NRM government does such evil acts with the intention of normalizing them. He noted that due to the narrow support base, the NRM government has been using two major tools to stay in power, money to buy support and fear to cow-down the populace.

Alice Alaso, the party acting National Coordinator expressed dismay at the government for claiming to be a democracy yet it is so intolerant to opposing views.

She said that it’s unacceptable that the government continues to engage in acts that stifle freedom of expression and the media by illegally arresting vocal persons who hold contrary views and critical media.

Alaso also condemned the continued use of military personnel in conducting arrests instead of the police trained to deal with civilians. She asked the government to respect freedom of expression and media as enshrined in the laws of the land and also called for the immediate release of the DigiTalk staff.

Muntu also spoke against the rising commodity prices, which he said are likely to leave several Ugandans lacking. He likened the current situation to that in the 1970s when there was a shortage of commodities in the country. Muntu said the Ugandan government should learn to spend necessary and fight corruption, which causes loss of billions to the country.