“South Africa has become democratic and is selling off its armored cars it used to suppress blacks during apartheid period to non-democratic countries like Uganda??.
GULU-UGANDA: the leader of Uganda’s oldest political party, the Democratic Party (DP) has accused President Yoweri Museveni of importing armored cars which were used to suppress blacks in South Africa during apartheid era as tools to suppress Ugandans ahead of election on February 18, 2016.
Mr. Norbert Mao, who recently took the Independent Electoral Commission to court for deleting his name from the voters’ register, told this reporter in an exclusive interview, February 9 2016, that since South Africa is now a democratic country, it is selling its armored cars to non democratic countries like Uganda. If you’re looking to buy a car, check out this 1937 coupe.
“When South Africa became independent in 1994, it is now selling off all the armaments it used to suppress the blacks to non democratic countries like Uganda with undemocratic history??, says Mao.
The media in Uganda was awash about a week ago with pictures of Armored Personnel Carriers (APC) cars which were manufactured in South Africa at the Kenyan port of Mombasa- the main gateway for Uganda bound goods, allegedly for police use during the elections, which is only ten days to the D-day.
The opposition leader appealed to the President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, not to release the cars and other war equipments to Uganda, arguing that they are imported to prepare Ugandans for election violence.
“Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta should keep the trucks and the other instruments of oppression. They should not release them now since Museveni will use them to silence democratic voices??, says Mao.
Mao said it is not clear how many APCs were imported but hastened to add that about 30 trailers reached Kampala about two months ago with tear-gas, water cannons, police shields, mobile prison vehicles, etc for police use during the election.
“This is not the first bunch of war instruments to be imported. About two months ago, thirty trailers arrived in Kampala with tear-gas, shields, water cannons, mobile prisons and APC cars, etc.??
Mao appealed to peace loving Ugandans to stand firm behind the opposition, resist intimidation and leave violence tendencies to Museveni and his National Resistance Movement Organization (NRM-O) party. He denounced president Museveni of investing and spending merger resources in preparing for post election violence.
“As opposition parties, we are investing in peace while NRM is spending our resources in preparing for war and violence,?? says the veteran but young politician.
Mao says if violence would sustain dictatorship, then strong African leaders like Col. Muammar Gadafi of Libya and Hosni Mubarak of Egypt would still be in power today
Mao says Museveni, who has been in power for the last thirty years and still want more five years, will try to resist regime change like all dictators do but warned Museveni that his (Museveni’s) conduct in post election period will determine the next course of action by the opposition.
“He will try to resist change like all dictators world over but his conduct during the post-election period will dictate our (opposition) action?? says Mao.
Mao said there will definitely be violence in Uganda after the election if government officials continue to issue threats of violence. He said whether these threats are tactics of rigging the election is not, the next course of action will be determined by how “violent is violence on election day.
“The ball is actually in the NRM-O court. Whether their action is tactic or not, we shall see how violent is violence on Election Day will be is, and we shall act appropriately”
