President Yoweri Museveni has dismissed claims that his government turned a blind eye to atrocities committed by the National Resistance Army (NRA) during the insurgency in the Luweero Triangle.
Hundreds of Ugandans were killed in the Luweero Triangle in fighting between the government Uganda National Liberation Force and Museveni's NRA soldiers between 1980 and 1985.
Museveni told the NRM National Delegates' Conference in Namboole that his government treated all extra judicial killings committed by the NRA seriously and took appropriate punitive measures against those found guilty.
The President said that 123 NRA soldiers found guilty of committing murder in Luweero were sentenced by a military court and are on death row. He added that 2 NRA soldiers were sentenced to life imprisonment and 20 were sentenced to serve long-term prison sentences. In addition to this 22 NRA soldiers accused of extra judicial killings in the Luweero Triangle faced a military court martial, and were killed by firing squad.
Museveni gave the statistics in response to statements made by the wife of former president, Milton Obote, during a state funeral service held in honor of her husband. Miria Obote exonerated her husband of any responsibility in the Luweero Triangle massacres. She said President Museveni and his forces were to blame for the killings and needed to own up to their responsibility.
President Museveni called Mrs. Obote's claims inaccurate and challenged her to provide evidence that her husband's government had ever punished its soldiers for atrocities they committed.
