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Dear Tingasiga;
MPs Salaamu Musumba, Morris Ogenga Latigo, and Mugisha Muntu are in
town. They are visiting Toronto as part of their swing through Canada and
the USA to bring the message of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) to
Ugandans and friends of Uganda in North America.
After an impressive performance at the Ugandan North American
Association (UNAA) convention in Minneapolis, Musumba and Muntu spent most
of last week in Washington DC where they gave the radio and television
interviews and met with senior officials of the United States government
and other opinion leaders.
They attended fundraisings in Minneapolis and Washington, during which
substantial amounts of money were raised, including from card-carrying
members of other political parties.
Saturday found them in Toronto where they attended a very successful
fundraising gala dinner and cultural evening, hosted by the Toronto
Chapter of the FDC. The event, which was held at the elegant Taj Banquet
Hall in Toronto featured musical performances by A-class groups from Cote
DIvoire, Sudan, Ethiopia and Ghana.
The approximately 200 guests at
the dinner listened with rapt attention to speeches by Muntu, Latigo and
Musumba, followed by Canadian Senator Mobina Jaffer, who was the keynote
speaker.
Over the ten days, I have had several opportunities to
listen to Muntu and Musumba deliver speeches and respond to questions from
audiences and radio and television interviewers. In every case I have
discovered why the nine-month old FDC has become a threat to the ruling
National Resistance Movement (NRM).
Muntu speaks with obvious command of the facts, delivered with a
soft-spoken eloquence and passion that is clothed in a large dose of
humility. It has been very refreshing to hear him take responsibility for
the failure of the Uganda Peoples Defence Force (UPDF) during his eight
years as the army commander.
It has been most reassuring to hear this retired army general making
serious appeals for peaceful transition of power.
Musumba is equally
eloquent, but speaks at a most agreeable pace that suggests one who has
reflected on her remarks and has internalised her message to the extent
that she is able to deal with complex issues without reading from a text.
But if Musumba and Muntus eloquent and persuasive messages earned them
excellent marks from their audiences, Ogenga Latigo mesmerised the
audience with his speech that brought to Canadians consciousness the day
today realities of the Ugandan people.
The central theme of the three FDC leaders speeches and media
interviews was that it was incumbent upon all Ugandans to join the
struggle for peaceful democratic transition in our homeland. We had a duty
to do all in our power to prevent any and all risks for violence in the
country.
It was also vital that Canadians of goodwill join Ugandan democrats in
a partnership whose purpose was to put pressure on the Canadian government
to use its moral power to redirect Ugandas rulers towards the path of
peace and democratic transfer of power.
This partnership was powerfully symbolised by the presence of Senator
Mobina Jaffer, who delivered a very moving keynote speech, and Dr. Ruby
Dhalla, the Federal Member of Parliament for the Brampton-Springdale
constituency.
Dr. Dhalla spoke of the role of Canada in the world, and the difference
individuals can make when they have the social and political educational
and courage to engage leaders and rulers.
As a young 10-year old girl, Dhalla was so disturbed by the factional
and inter-ethnic fighting in India that she wrote a letter to then Indian
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Though a Canadian by upbringing, the young
girl never forgot her roots. She felt an obligation to contribute towards
making her homeland a better place.
In her keynote speech, Senator Jaffer talked about the very haunting
experience of witnessing Acholi mothers who had to send their very young
children to far off places in search of safety from the marauding killers
that often struck at night. I have had many sleepless nights, Ms. Jaffer
said. I hope you do not sleep tonight either. Think about our people who
are enduring this incomprehensible brutality and cruelty.
Senator Jaffer, the first-born daughter of Mr Bandali Jaffer, the
distinguished Ugandan parliamentarian (during the 1960s), hotelier and
philanthropist, invited the Africans in the audience to work with her and
help propel the great continent towards a lasting peace.
The gala dinner was successful on several counts.
First, in spite of
being arranged at relatively short notice, it attracted a large guest list
that reflected the great cultural mosaic that defines Canada. Africans,
Europeans, Indians, South East Asians, South Americans and Caribbean
people came together in support of the FDC.
Second, it brought together in fellowship Ugandans from different
political parties.
Third, generous cash donations were made to the
FDC.
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