Museveni , Many Ugandans have been forced into exile, fearing for their lives. Others have been pushed to seek employment in foreign countries where their safety and well-being are not guaranteed, simply to fend for themselves and their families.
Among those in exile is the President of the Uganda Law Society, Isaac Ssemakadde.
I, a former Justice of the Supreme Court of Uganda, and many other Ugandans are currently living involuntarily in exile, having been forced to flee for fear of our lives.
Your election win was secured in darkness in the midst of a nationwide Internet shutdown. The statements and actions that have followed since you were declared the winner continue to raise questions whether you actually won the election. If you won legitimately, repression is unnecessary.
If repression exists, legitimacy is in question.
Your manifesto did not include hunting down those who didn’t support you.
Elections in any democratic country are competitive. They are always people who support the candidate who emerges as the winner and those who support other candidates in the race.
So is Uganda different from other countries. Did you expect all Ugandan voters to vote for you? Is there a country where that happens?
Museveni , you spent many years fighting for freedom. You have been in leadership for over 40 years. The country is walking on the roadmap you set in motion when you took over power by the gun in 1986, which resulted in the 1995 Constitution of Uganda that came into effect under your leadership.
Mr. President, it’s said you’re born Ugandan, like the citizens now living in fear, prison, or exile. Uganda is our only country. We did not choose to be born in Uganda, but we must live in our motherland.
I write to you as a citizen addressing a leader . You control the army, the police, the Electoral Commission, and state institutions. With that control comes responsibility.
Please put our house (Uganda) in order by:
1. Restore the rule of law so that Ugandans can live without fear.
2. To stop abuses by security forces and ensure all state institutions act within the law.
3. Allowing all citizens and political actors to exercise their constitutional rights without fear.
4. Returning the country to constitutional governance, where courts function independently, political activity is lawful, and citizens are not punished, exiled, imprisoned, or silenced for their political views.
5. Stop labeling political opponents and their supporters as terrorists or as confused.
6. Stop the violence and the killings. you must ensure that all suspects are handled through lawful arrest and tried before competent courts, not executed by security forces.
7. Stop the abductions of opposition leaders.
8. Stop terrorizing Ugandans who support other political parties.
9. Stop the siege on your political rivals’ homes.
10. Stop labeling political opponents as terrorists.
Uganda deserves dignity.
Uganda deserves justice.
Uganda deserves peace.
FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY.
Justice Dr. Esther Kitimbo Kisaakye.
Former Justice of the Supreme Court of Uganda.
