Kampala — The planned demonstration by exiled opposition elements in the UK will focus on what they say is the determination by President Yoweri Museveni to change the constitution and get a third term in office.

The demo is also looked at as a first step by the Ugandan dissidents in the UK to form an alliance, a pressure group International Lobby for Reform in Uganda (ILORU) said in a statement.

Sunday Monitor obtained a statement from ILORU co-ordinator Sam Akaki that says: "There is now a more urgent need than ever before for all Ugandans to join political forces together in order to defeat and remove the Movement from power. The choice is very simple: We either swim together, or hang separately."

"At the minimum, we would be able to apply at once the sum total of our individual forces; thus prompting both Mr Museveni, our tormentor in chief, and his British backers to take us seriously" it added.

In another statement, Uganda People's Congress member, Dr Jesse Machete who is a director of Nile File Internet news group says that the Mr Museveni/Mr Kagame meeting is not going to discuss what he calls problems facing the Great Lakes region.

"Genocide, plunder of natural and human resources do not stand a chance on the agenda, apart from peace to sustain the status quo. We must oppose these machinations," he says. "It is thus expedient for a self help effort to rid Uganda and the Great Lakes region of [Mr Museveni]. Such effort should entail diplomatic, legal and other effective means."

Last week the president's press secretary Mary Karooro Okurut said: "What do they hope to achieve? Now that we are opening up, what else do they want?"

Mr Museveni will on Thursday this week meet Rwandan President Paul Kagame for talks.

This will be the third meeting between the two leaders in London. They first met in November 2001 and then in October 2002.