The Weekly Observer (Kampala)
Sulah Nuwamanya
7 February 2008
Kigali — President Museveni should have consulted fellow East African Community leaders before embarking on a peace mission to Kenya recently, says Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame.
President Kagame told the press during a monthly briefing in Kigali this week that such consultation among EAC leaders would have Museveni's trip more productive as a collective approach.
President Museveni, chairman of the East African Community (EAC), traveled to Kenya last month where he spoke to the protagonists about ending the conflict.
During the briefing at Village Urugwiro on Monday, Kagame also defended his call for military intervention to stop the post-election violence ravaging Kenya.
General Kagame was on January 30 quoted by media after a meeting with the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki- moon, calling on the Kenyan military to get out of their barracks and quell the crisis that has so far claimed close to 1,000 lives.
Admitting it was a controversial prescription, Kagame said then that military intervention was nevertheless an option. As expected, the president's remarks drew some criticism, with critics describing his approach as militaristic and undemocratic.
However, rather than back down, Kagame defended his position, saying his view was based on the fact that innocent lives are being lost in that country almost everyday.
"My position is based on such killings and groups targeting each other, and so how do we get out. I was therefore suggesting that in such a situation one institution that is strong, free of being compromised and effective should intervene besides peace talks going on," Kagame maintained.
Besides military intervention, Kagame suggested three possible ways out of the impasse; another election, a recount or power sharing. "I want to make my position clear on this matter. There are three scenarios of ending this situation and one of them is a re-run and I don't know how effective it may be, or a recount and once again I don't know whether there is anything to count again," he said.
"If re-election and recount fail to yield any solution, then another approach would be power sharing like we have done in Rwanda." He gave an example of the 2003 Rwanda constitution which is built on a power-sharing model. Under this constitution, the political party of the wining president cannot provide the Speaker of the Senate or Prime Minister. Different parties share the top positions of power.
Such a power-sharing arrangement, the Rwandan leader said, may help settle the dispute in the interest of the suffering masses across Kenya.
Pouring cold water on the proposal that a judicial commission of inquiry be instituted, Kagame spoke of his "well founded doubts" about the idea, saying it has no real facts to base on."
After saying so much, Kagame nevertheless pointed out that he is not an expert on Kenyan issues, adding that solving the crisis is a domestic Kenyan matter.
Besides Kenya, the president addressed several domestic issues of his own, ranging from land redistribution to the earthquake that has killed about 40 people in his country.
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Well now, thee is another president with an ego, the size of The pyramids of Egypt. And as corrupt as they come. I suggest he should clean up his own mess before he tries to adress other peoples problems.
/Zappa
As you all know Mr. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is just another self appointed (read dictator) leader in Africa that gets rid of his fellow opposition by putting them in jail. His third tirm hasn´t brought any more justice in to the country. And As you all know he is the leader of the second nation in the World that has put a ban and leathal punishment on Gay marriages 2005. And to my knowledge that still exists for the estimate 500.000 gay people in uganda. Democracy ? I don´t think so..... Religous fanatism as bad as they come.
/Z
zerofuza take your gay thing where you can get help (hospital) when a human being behaves abnomally he is supposed to be examined to see what is wrong with him. The road to being cured is by accepting that you are sick. If you are gay take the first step. ADMIT IT. If m7 did what you have said he has my total support.
Dear Sir, Mikinduri I am not Gay, but I certainly respect other people’s sexual preferences. That is a personal matter. Not political ! To understand these human nature issues one has to be somewhat learned in science I am afraid. And certainly not guided by some ageing religious dogma. In such a religious marsh as Africa is, with its sick Macho culture and widespread corruption culture (which it by the way got from Christianity) I do not expect to find any wide spread understanding for human matters. Have a coke and a smile !
Just Another thing Mr. Mikinduri, You might be of the opinion that the HIV/AIDS thing is a Gay inflicted matter as so many other Right wing born again Christians think. Why don’t you try to tell that, to the some 600 South Africans that die from HIV/AIDS every day. The President Musovenis wife as she is “born again Christian” seems to think that the best thing is to burn all condoms and stop the positive development of fighting HIV/AIDS in Uganda. /Z
It should never be a surprise to Kagame that the President of Uganda is not a TEAM PLAYER. Does he consult his own Parliament as the constitutions stipulates before comitting the country in foreign assignments. Uganda is on a very slippery slope!
The Kenyan situation should be a wake up call to all peace loving nations & carefully study what is going on Uganda, for it is obvious that the same turmoil can & will happen there. So the world waits for that day to come...the lives of Africans have never meant much to the West.
African lives,in short is… [Read Full Text]