Rights Abuses: Ugandan seeks British intervention

L-R: Semitego & British Foreign Secretary William  Hague

London based opposition activist Richard Semitego has petitioned the top leadership of the British Conservative Party (which is the majority party in the ruling coalition with the Liberal Democrats) to reign in President Museveni’s government for its human rights abuses in both Uganda and the Great Lakes region of Africa.

Semitego, who is the Chairperson of Uganda Federal Front, a UK based opposition outfit, met the UK’s Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Mr. William Hague on the fringes of the just concluded Conservative Party conference held in Birmingham.

Semitego told the British Foreign Secretary that the ongoing human rights violations and abuses in Uganda and Great Lakes Region can only be solved by stopping (President) Museveni’s 27 years rule in Uganda.

“…Museveni is the mother of all political and human rights problems in Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by supporting M23 rebels together with his Rwandan counterpart President Paul Kagame.  Stop Museveni and you will stop human rights abuses in Great Lakes Region.” Semitego said.

Both Uganda and Rwanda deny supporting the M23, the Congolese rebel group whose leader Gen. Bosco Ntaganda was indicted by the International Criminal court for war crimes and crimes against humanity

The vocal Ugandan opposition activist also told his hosts that whereas Uganda is celebrating 50 years of independence, opposition leaders and activist are still being harassed, arrested, and or detained under house-arrest.

In particular, Semitego pointed out the house-arrest of Kampala City Mayor Erias Lukwago, and Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party president Dr Kizza Besigye.  Apart from the two top opposition leaders, FDC officials revealed last week up to 42 of their party activists were arrested and detained illegally for more than 48hrs without charge.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague reported responded by telling Semitego that he is aware of the depth of the political and human rights crisis in the Great Lakes Region and promised “…to stand together with people advocating for good governance.”

The four day Conservative Party conference, which was attended by 30,500 people, was addressed by British Prime Minister David Cameron, London Mayor Boris Johnson, and Michael Bloomberg – the Mayor of New York city.