Fellow Citizens:
Remember the veteran Guerilla fighter who often boasted to members of the
International Community and Ugandans that he was and is a s military
genius!!... Ever wondered as to why a mere KONY has given this "Military
Genius" a sleepless night?
The Military genius was not, so to say , smart enough to figure out early in
the game that one does not fight rebels with the so called UPDF weakness!
Why one might add?
The bottom line is, fellow citizens, the people of Uganda are tired of wars.
Museveni and his NRM can give a zillion reasons as to why UPDF is incapable
of defeating the so called KONY Rebels... in fact the dictatorship can lie to
the people of Uganda and citizens of the world all he wants. But the fact
remains: UPDF is incapable of defeating he so called Kony rebels.
That stated, any smart politician would have long sued for peace with the so
called rebels if for any thing else to save the people of Uganda from more
suffering.
But no Museveni's BIG ego is on the line here fellow citizens. His wishful
thinking, and yes his is but a mere wishful thinking, that KONY rebels would
be finshed by the end of the year is not and will not console the families of
those who are dying in this senseless war.
Matek
ran in Notheren Uganda is difficult
<< LRA Near to Total Defeat'
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New Vision (Kampala)
November 22, 2002
Posted to the web November 22, 2002
Okello Jabweli, Hamis Kaheru & Joyce Namutebi
Kampala
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has said Kony rebels have suffered a thorough
beating and will be no more by next year.
"The LRA is on the verge of final and total defeat. Nothing will save them,"
the President said. "Only yesterday (Wednesday), after many losses, Kony and
his troops fled the Imatong mountains towards Jabeleine. It is now the
Sudanese to deal with him." Jabeleine, a Sudanese government controlled
area,
is not in the orbit of UPDF's Operation Iron Fist in southern Sudan.
In a speech to Parliament yesterday, Museveni said the Government was
finally
addressing the weaknesses that have enabled Kony and his rag-tag Lord's
Resistance Army (LRA) to thrive over the last 16 years.
Museveni's three-hour address was broadcast live on Radio Uganda.
He said the UPDF had done well against Kony terrorists during a difficult
part of the year (the rainy season when the grass is tall and movement is
difficult) and promised even better outcome once the dry season starts in
December.
"I don't think we shall hear from Kony next year - 2003," Museveni said.
He said Kony was able in the past to sneak in and out of the country to
cause
havoc due to Sudan's continued support to him, the perennial under-spending
on defence and the poor road infrastructure in the north.
Museveni said the constant factor has been the difficult terrain in the
Acholi region. He said all the four problems were being addressed.
He said the UPDF's under-equipping was a big and an unnecessary mistake
because security is the basis of everything else.
"It is wrong to talk of poverty eradication and development and not talk of
security," he said.
He said he was building a strategic core of the UPDF capable of defending
Uganda from external aggression.
He said nobody should be worried about the force. "Unless you had plans to
invade Uganda, you shouldn't worry. It is mainly going to be a defensive
force," he said.
Museveni said the recent defence budget increment of US$26m would enable the
army plug some of its weaknesses, especially the lack of appropriate
equipment.
"This argument of too much defence expenditure is nonsense. It is not
acceptable and I don't want too hear it," Museveni said.
"In my language, we have a saying that many tongues spoil the porridge. We
need advice alright but somebody must be in charge. A country cannot be
everybody's business. That is not possible. Somebody must be answerable."
He supported his position with the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere's philosophy
that being independent also entails the ability to make mistakes.
"There are elected leaders. If I make a decision, you my friend, whoever
you're you, must respect it. If I make mistakes, I will learn from them but
you can't have a situation where the country is everybody's business,"
Museveni said.
He dismissed claims that Sudan armed Kony and offered him a safe haven in
retaliation for Uganda's support of the SPLA.
Museveni said Uganda begun supporting the SPLA in 1988, two years after the
first batch of rebels supported by Sudan launched attacks on Uganda. "We
backed SPLA but that was long, long after the Sudan had attacked us. We
supplied the SPLA because we are not punch-bags. You hit us, we hit you.
That
is the law of nature," he said.
Museveni said the insecurity in the north was a classic case of terrorism
supported by regional states against the people of Uganda.
Retracing the genesis of the war, Museveni said the conflict initially
gained
ground in Acholiland due to unfounded fears that the NRA would retaliate
against the Acholi and Langi for the Luweero atrocities and the chauvinism
that had been sowed by colonialists.
"These lies were soon exposed because no Acholi or Langi were being harassed
either in Kampala or in the north," Museveni said.
He said the early Acholi rebel leaders like the late Brig. Odong Latek,
"priestess" Alice Lakwena and Angello Okello, were not terrorists. Museveni
said Kony introduced terrorist tactics like forced recruitment, civilian
killings and mutilations.
.
Rebels Ambush Truck Carrying Exam Answer Scripts
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