AU meets over Sudan, in next door Uganda
As the AU meets over Sudan, in next door Uganda a veteran opposition leader Kizza Besigye has been languishing in a military prison since November 2024 after being kidnapped in Kenya by Museveni’s agents.
This is what Africa Union must confront before another country descends into a Sudan-type situation. What we face in Sudan is a product of autocratic rule for which AU was impotent to deal with. Since the end of colonialism, armed conflicts and coups are prevalent in Africa simply because of misgovernance and autocratic leadership damaging human rights and peace.
Shamefully, Besigye was abducted in Kenya, which is supposed to be a democratic country, yet Pres. Ruto allowed foreign agents to kidnap a man in his country and allowed them to transport him to Uganda. The Kenyan Government did not care that the man arrested is an innocent prominent pro-democracy activist fighting a dictatorship that Kenyans themselves fought for many years ago. The Kenyan Government failed to address the issue knowing full well that Besigye will not have justice but in addition stands to be tortured and abused by the criminals in Kampala.
Now, one is tempted to ask, what does AU and African governments like Kenya believe? Is this how we will build democracy, peace and human rights in Africa? Is this how we will silence the guns in Africa?
Since his arrest, no African president came to the support of democracy, peace and human rights by condemning both the Ugandan and Kenyan governments for this act of terrorism against a political activist. Rather Kizza remains languishing in jail while facing a kangaroo court with bogus charges for which he faces a death penalty.
Where are the men and women of conscience of Africa? Where are the true leaders of Africa to stand for Kizza Besigye? Where are the human rights defenders, activists, journalists, and the CSOs of Africa?
