15^th September, 2001

PRESS RELEASE

DENUNCIATION OF APPOINTMENT AS

PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR

Last night I was shocked to learn from Uganda Television and WBS that I Haji Badru Kendo Wegulo, National Chairman UPC and Chairman Party Representative Council (PRC) and member of the Presidential Policy Commission (PPC) had been appointed a Presidential Advisor by Lt. General Museveni.

This morning I have with horror and consternation read a report on page three of the New Vision Newspaper titled "Wegulo Appointed Museveni’s Advisor". It is reported that I have been appointed as one of the "new special Advisors on Political Affairs".

I wish to state categorically that no one has ever approached me and asked me whether I would be prepared to serve as Museveni’s political advisor or otherwise.

I wish it to be known in no uncertain terms that if I had been approached and asked to serve as Museveni’s advisor my answer would be an unequivocal "No" to such a suggestion and or overtures.

Accordingly, I wish to inform Lt. Gen Yoweri Museveni that I reject his so-called appointment with the utmost contempt it deserves.

Every sane person knows that I have been at the forefront, as a leader in the UPC, of opposing the 16 years of terror, misrule, corruption, plunder, dictatorship, and genocide perpetuated by Museveni’s regime. I and millions of other Ugandans have tremendously suffered under Museveni’s oligarchy.

Museveni should be reminded that he personally ordered my arrest together with Professor Rubaihayo in 1994. Our crime was that we had signed a UPC Manifesto on the Constituent Assembly Elections advocating for a democratic Constitution.

The office of political advisors in Museveni’s government is used to squander taxpayer’s money and bribe political opponents and silence them. It is public knowledge that the so-called advisors do not actually render any advise on any national matter. They are conscripts who are bribed into acquienscence and thus silenced.

This attempt to conscript me is part of Museveni’s terrorist attack on the UPC. In these dying moments of the NRA/NRM regime we expect many more such terror attempts at our leaders and members. UPC shall resist them.

If Museveni’s needs advise and I believe he desperately does, then he should heed the advise consistently given to him by the UPC to stop harassing the opposition, to open up political space, and to allow multiparty political activities. He should dismantle his so-called Movement System and pave way for a genuinely open competitive multiparty political system in Uganda. He should stop the politics of manipulation, bribery, intrigue, plunder, war, genocide, aggression, terrorism, nepotism and cronyism.

I appeal to all members of PPC, PRC, and the entire membership of Uganda Peoples Congress, all peace loving Ugandans and all friends of Uganda not to accept to be lured and conscripted into the selfish service of Lt. Gen. Museveni in any capacity. Instead every one should intensify the political efforts and struggles to free Uganda from the shackles of Museveni’s dictatorship.

I have said all this,

FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY

HAJI BADRU KENDO WEGULO