Men and women who have the gift of vision ( can see far) have many a times warned those whose intention it is to plunge our country into more chaos...but they are not listening...they will only have themselves to blame!
MK
Army Blocks Gen. Muntu From Fundraising in Lira
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The Monitor (Kampala)
January 25, 2005
Posted to the web January 24, 2005
Agness Nandutu
Kampala
Former Army Commander and now a member of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu, was on Sunday blocked by the army from attending a fundraising function at Aromo Internally Displaced People's (IDP) camp in Erute North in Lira district.
He was expected to be the chief guest.
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The fundraising was organised by Erute North MP, Mr Charles Angiro, and the Pentecostal Pastors from Masindi district to raise money to buy a public address system to use while conducting church services in the camp.
When The Monitor contacted Muntu yesterday, he admitted he and other Members of Parliament, Ms Cecilia Ogwal (Lira Municipality), Mr Omara Atubo (Otuke County) and Margaret Ateng (Lira district Woman MP), were blocked 5km to the venue of the fundraising.
He said Local Defence Unit (LDUs) personnel, who were manning a roadblock, told him they had been instructed by the army not to allow anybody to proceed beyond that point because there were rebel movements in the area.
But Muntu wondered why he was stopped when civilians, who were on foot, were allowed to continue.
He said he and the MPs returned to Aromo army detach to ask for escorts. But the detach commander, Lt. Okwir, told them they had received instructions from above not to allow anybody to proceed.
Muntu said the army had told him there were only 10 rebels moving in the area.
"I have been an Army Commander myself and 10 rebels is not a big deal. They (army) behaved as if it was a full scale war in the area. These people are just afraid of the opposition," he said.
"It should have been a deliberate move and if it was true that the army was playing monkey ticks, they will not continue doing that. I was put under the bridge on Sunday, but I will not allow to be stopped any more," Muntu said.
He said when there is insecurity anywhere in the country, the army should provide military escorts. "This was just a fundraising and there was no reason of stopping me. But this will not concern me any more. My focus is how we shall handle our political activities and access people in all parts of the country," he said.
"What I am putting to the army is that we should not be intimidated but given adequate escort to carry out our politics in case of insecurity," he said.
He said he was waiting for the place to stabilise and he would return to attend the fundraising. "I will have to go back because people were expecting me to talk to them. I hope the army will drive away the rebels such that I can go back," Muntu said.
This is the second time Muntu is blocked from attending a fundraising. Last year, police stopped him from addressing people at a church fundraising in Luweero district.
Ogwal said there were no rebels in Erute North, but the army only intervened after learning Muntu would be the chief guest. "I see this as politics. How can you allow civilians to go to the venue and then block politicians? Ogwal asked.
"This is a total ban on the opposition to have direct access to the people. It was no different from the incident when MPs were beaten," she said.
Some MPs from the north were on November 22, 2004 beaten by soldiers as they tried to address a rally in Pader district.
Angiro said he had been on the ground and there was no rebel activity in the area.
"It was an intention to disrupt the function because even the civilians told me there were no rebels. I am demanding an explaining from the army," he said.
He said he had personally notified the Army Commander, Lt. Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, and the 5th Division Commander, Lt. Col. George Etyang.
He said he even held a meeting with the army personnel and they promised to deploy soldiers on the road to protect the MPs.
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"The army had okayed me to go ahead with the function, but just changed their mind after hearing the news on Lira Radio One FM that Muntu would be the chief guest," he said.
He said though Muntu was not able to officiate at the fundraising, he (Angiro) went ahead and fundraised more than Shs1.5 million. He said he would organise another function and Muntu would go back to address the people
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