Ugandan government officials blast U.S. Secretary of State


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Uganda government officials have requested the United States of America to respect it’s sovereignty and stop treating it as if it were a U.S. colony.

The officials argue that Uganda is an independent state with enough institutions to ensure that the 2011 presidential and general elections are held successfully.

The Uganda government officials were reacting to a report recently presented by US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, to US Congress about Uganda’s 2011 elections. The report pinned Uganda government over several issues including harassment of opposition leaders by police.

The report also said that the electoral commission was likely to be unfair because it was appointed single-handedly by president Museveni, while indicating that there was suffocation of civil liberties and stifling of free media by government.

The chairman of Uganda’s electoral commission, Badru Kigundu, announced that he is “not scared of the self-appointed observatory role by USA on electoral process ahead of the 2011 elections.”

He wondered who appointed the United States government to be the overseer of elections in Uganda. “If they want, they better come as observers, not as monitors because no one has accredited them,” Badru Kigundu continued.

President Museveni’s press secretary, Tamale Mirundi advised the US to keep away from Uganda’s internal affairs because it is a sovereign state.

Said Tamale Mirundi: “USA is arrogant. They think they can organize for us elections in our own country. We are an independent state. They are our business partners and not our masters. 1995 we made a constitution and all political issues are included in it.”

The Police spokesperson, Judith Nabakooba condemned Mrs. Clinton for
only getting views for her report from the opposition in Uganda and failing to get the government’s side of the story.

According to Nabakooba, “Clinton’s report she said that Uganda police is biased and routinely disrupts opposition rallies. That is not true. The role of police is to ensure law and order. We make sure that we protect all parties. The report has hearing from opposition and does not contact us to give our side of the story which is unfair.”

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