Kampala — President Yoweri Museveni has appointed National Political Commissar Crispus Kiyonga to head a government team that will hold discussions with all opposition groups on several crucial political matters.

The other members of the team are yet to be named.

Mr Museveni announced the appointment on Monday evening while meeting a 15-member delegation from the Reform Agenda.

The Reform Agenda is a political pressure group formed mainly by Movement supporters who backed Dr Kizza Besigye's 2001 presidential bid.

The meeting took place at State House, Nakasero.

State House issued a press release yesterday quoting Mr Museveni as telling Reform Agenda leaders that "the Movement door is wide open and welcomes all those in opposition groups who would wish to come back to the Movement mainstream."

President Museveni's team at the meeting was made up of Dr Kiyonga, Minister for the Presidency Gilbert Bukenya, Minister of State for Security Muruli Mukasa, chief of Military Intelligence Noble Mayombo and newly appointed presidential adviser on the press Onapito Ekomoloit.

Sources told The Monitor that Mr Museveni announced the talks team after the Reform Agenda officials insisted that discussions on national matters should be extended to include all other opposition groups.

Ms Joan Magezi, the acting Principal Private Secretary to the President, issued the invites to the Reform Agenda for the 5 May meeting.

She said Mr Museveni was concerned about issues the opposition group was raising in the media about the country's politics.

Mr Sam Njuba, the Reform Agenda vice chairman, led his group to Nakasero.

Mr Museveni, according to sources, said some Reform Agenda leaders were involved in unconstitutional and terrorist acts.

He mentioned Mr James Opoka, a former Makerere University guild president (believed to be dead - killed by Lord's Resistance Army leader Joseph Kony), Reform Chairman Besigye and renegade UPDF officer Anthony Kyakabale.

"The president told the delegation that whereas the government accepts objective criticism from the opposition, it however, cannot tolerate any act of unconstitutionalism and terrorism," reads the State House release.

In a seven-point programme presented to Mr Museveni, the Reform Agenda officials complained that the State had arrested about 4,000 of the group's supporters, killed some and tortured others.

In response, according to the State House release, "the president said that the government has documented evidence against some of the top leadership of the Reform Agenda who collaborate with bandits".

Sources said that the Reform Agenda leaders insisted that if there is any individual who is involved in subversive activities, his mother organisation and its members should not be hounded.

The group also accused Col. Mayombo and Maj. Roland Kakooza Mutale of the Kalangala Action Plan paramilitary group of using violent means to deal with political opponents.

The Reform Agenda leaders complained against Mr Kiyonga for accusing their organisation of supporting rebels.

But Mr Kiyonga, according to sources, said he only said some and not all Reform Agenda people are in bed with rebels. Mr Kiyonga is reported to have referred the meeting to the Hansard for proof because he challenged Reform from the floor of Parliament.

Col. Mayombo is reported to have provided information, which linked some Reform leaders, especially Mbarara Municipality MP Winnie Byanyima, to rebel activities.

When The Monitor reached Col. Mayombo yesterday he referred this reporter to the Dr Kiyonga or Prof. Bukenya.