Ugandan opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye, the former President of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has applauded Kenyans for the ongoing protests that have brought the country to near lockdown.
While mourning the lives of those that were shot in the protests yesterday and trough out the night, Besigye said that he was proud of the protestors for standing up to the lethal firepower.
“I am in Nairobi and my heart goes out to all the Kenyans who have lost their lives and those injured as they protest taxes imposed on them. I am proud of all, especially, the young Gen Z, protestors that are valiantly facing guns and other lethal weapons demanding justice…”
The seasoned politician and Ugandan liberation war hero added that “…Freedom and justice come at a price, which we have to pay- sooner or later.”
For over two and a half decades, Besigye has tried to galvanize the Ugandan citizenry to defeat the incumbent regime, which he helped bring to power. In that period, he has stood for presidency four times, albeit without success.
Besigye took the civil disobedience route soon after the 2011 election, in protest against the rising cost of basic household commodities like sugar and food, due to the rising cost of transport because of fuel costs.
His protests dubbed “WalktoWork” brought the government of Museveni to crisis levels, but the protests suffered a setback when he was brutalized at the Mulago roundabout by a one Gilbert Bwana.
Besigye was then airlifted to the Aga Khan hospital in Kenya where he received treatment. On his return he called on Ugandans to continue their efforts to create a critical mass to overwhelm the regime.
Kenya has historically cornered their repressive regimes by mass protests which have yielded democratic gains. Protests for over a year led to the December 1991 announcement by president Daniel Moi of the repeal of Section 2A of the constitution and the return to multiparty politics.
In 1995, the National Convention Executive Council called protests for democratic reforms that led to Moi accepting to serve two terms and step down at the end of his second term in 2002.
In Uganda, all transition has happened by military take over since independence in 1962.
