President Yoweri Museveni has expressed his condolences to the family members of the late Col. Ibrahim Abiriga, Member of Parliament for Arua Municipality, who was shot dead on Friday evening as he returned home in Kawanda in Wakiso District.
The President, who visited the family members in Kawanda, Nansana Municipality in Wakiso district, to express his condolences, reiterated to the people of Uganda that the perpetrators that killed MP Abiriga, will be brought to book by the Government to answer for their heinous actions.
He said that the killing of Abiriga is a clear sign that there are people who are fighting the NRM Party.
“Abiriga has been a staunch NRM supporter so by killing him they think they have killed the NRM Party. By killing Abiriga, the enemy is clearly working to hurt NRM,” he said.
He said that they have killed Abiriga by acting in a cowardly manner because in the multiparty system, everybody has got his freedom to support any political party he wants.
He said the NRM Party has chosen to obey the rule of law adding that Abiriga was just a supporter.
He reminded other Parties that if wanted to rule the country, it is only the people who can decide through a ballot box paper but not by this kind of force that they are exhibiting.
“If other Parties’ manifestos cannot win the majority to rule the country why should they kill to take over power? The people voted NRM Party to power. If people have not voted your Party into power, why should you choose to kill a supporter of the ruling NRM Party? The fact that people do not vote your Party, your ideology was not appealing to most Ugandans,” he said.
President Museveni recalled that the killing of NRM supporters by the enemy started way back when LC1 officials were killed in the districts of Busia and Teso.
He mentioned the recent killing of Assistant Inspector General of Police, Andrew Felix Kaweesi, among others, adding that the enemy of the NRM government is against the national developments achieved because they want to cause the government to divert money into purchasing more security equipment.
Mr. Museveni said the NRM Government has already made the country take off towards achieving the middle-income status because infrastructure, such as the road from Kampla to Oraba in West Nile is complete and the area now has electricity.
He said that the people of the West Nile Sub-Region have been yearning for such infrastructure that the NRM Government has availed to them.
He noted that there is nothing wrong with the choice of the people of West Nile supporting the Movement because NRM has provided what they want.
The President, who promised to meet the family members again after the burial of the late Abiriga, pledged government support towards the burial expenses and that support will also be extended to the children of Col. Abiriga in School.
