By George Murumba

7^th May 2012:

4GC launch ceremony, FILE PHOTO

An opposition activist has dared President Yoweri Museveni to lock them all up in Luzira maximum prison, saying that is the only way the regime can stop them from peacefully pursuing their agenda for change and a better life for all Ugandans.

The opposition activist, who preferred anonymity, made the remarks in reaction to a news report in The Daily Monitor that the government had taken the decision to ban For God and My Country [4GC].

Acting through the Attorney General Mr Peter Nyombi, the ruling National Resistance Movement [NRM] government used a colonial era law to ban 4GC, another political pressure group linked to opposition parties in Uganda.

Only a few weeks earlier, the government had outlawed “Activists for Change” [A4C], the opposition pressure group that was behind the ‘Walk-to-Work’ protests that rocked the country last year.  It was from the smouldering ashes of the banned A4C that For God and My Country emerged, vowing to carry on from where A4C had left.

However, according to the Attorney General, who is the government’s chief legal adviser, the fact that 4GC has “…the same office bearers” as the outlawed A4C, the fact that it also has a “name similar to that of the unlawful” A4C, and the fact that it has “substantially the same membership” as the banned A4C means it shall be deemed to be unlawful.

Criminal prosecution ordered

Not only has the government banned 4GC, the Attorney General has also instructed the police to investigate and work with the Director of Public Prosecutions [DPP] to expeditiously prosecute 4GC members for what he said was the illegal use of the country’s national symbols.

“…I urge you to work very closely with the Director of Public Prosecution in the assembling of evidence that is necessary for the prosecution of the perpetrators of these illegal activities,” the Attorney General said

The Attorney General said by using the “…national motto For God and My Country, the Uganda flag, and associated paraphernalia”, 4GC had contravened Sections 3 and 4 of the National Flag and Armorial Ensigns Act.  This, the AG said, “…would bring into contempt or ridicule the national flag or the armorial ensigns.”

An idea whose time has come

The senior opposition figure told Uganda Correspondent that the government was wasting its time fighting an idea whose time has come.  “…These people are really thick.  They ought to know that the course of oppression that they are embarking on is an exercise in futility.  You cannot fight against an idea whose time has come.” the opposition activist said in an email.

He insisted that they will carry on with their activities until they are all locked up in prison.  “…Tell Museveni that nothing is going to stop us as long as we are still fit, mobile, and healthy.  If he wants, let him lock all opposition activists in Luzira.  That is the only thing that will stop us from peacefully pursuing our agenda for change and a better life for all Ugandans.” he said.

In the recent past, President Museveni vowed to use the law to end what he called “…Besigye’s lawlessness and criminality”.  END.  Please login to www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories and anytime mid-week for our news updates.