Opposition members of parliament have shunned the Golden Jubilee Independence celebrations saying they have been turned into an NRM affair. Alice Alaso, the Serere District Woman MP and FDC secretary general said that she saw no reason to participate in the Independence celebrations at Kololo. She wondered where NRM gets the cause to celebrate if not to jubilate for plundering the country through corruption. Alaso also said that she didn’t get any invitation card for the celebration. She said that if it wasn’t for police to block most city roads and confine key opposition leaders in their homes, they would have held prayers to ask God to deliver the country.
She argued that Uganda has never got freedom, adding that opposition leader Kiiza Besigye and city mayor Erias Lukwago, wouldn’t have been put under preventive arrest. Kitgum Woman MP Beatrice Anywar agreed with Alaso. Anywar said that she can never celebrate independence when the rights and freedoms of her parties are being abused daily. She said today’s celebrations were not well embracing otherwise some people wouldn’t be celebrating, while others are locked up in their homes for no reason. She said that the opposition decided to leave the NRM to use the celebrations to campaign and show off the army, which is its priority.
Anywar says Uganda did not get independence but rather came from white colonialists to black colonialists. Betty Nambooze, the Mukono Municipality MP told URN that she couldn’t join the celebrations when the Lord Mayor of the city, where the celebrations are being held is under preventive arrest. Kiiza Besigye, the FDC president, Erias Lukwago, the Kampala Capital City Authority lord mayor and Kampala Central MP Mohammed Nsereko are confined to their homes by police. The trio was put under preventive arrest fearing that they could disrupt the Golden Jubilee Independence celebrations.
Nambooze said that it is very clear that Ugandans have to fight for their independence for the second time. Buikwe South MP Lulume Bayiga said it was better to spend time with his suffering constituents instead of wasting time in what he called meaningless celebrations. Lulume said that he had used the free time to visit to his electorate and listen to their concerns.
