Museveni cautions against political mistakes in Somalia

New Visiion
Monday, June 04, 2012

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President Yoweri Museveni has said Uganda’s involvement in Somalia is to show solidarity with the people of Somalia and to support the process to ensure that they regain their sovereign rights, adding that it is through elections that leaders will know what their people want.

Museveni was meeting the President of Somalia Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed and the Prime Minister Abdiweli Muhammed Ali at his resident at the Conrad Hotel in Istanbul, Turkey.

Museveni said with the improving security in Somalia, re-empowering the people by giving them back their sovereignty through the vote especially at the village level where the logistics are not complicated is paramount.

This however, was not suitable for Somalia at the moment and that they had decided to use clan and sub-clan leaders to select a new interim group of leaders in August according to reports.

Museveni was assured by the two leaders that the true clan leaders have been identified through inheritance and that an arbitration committee will resolve any arising issues.

The President urged the leaders to work against any political mistakes that could affect the smooth implementation of the end of the transition in August and the Somali Road map.

President Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed who thanked Museveni for his advise said while they may be mistakes made, they are ready to correct them. He said clan leaders have established a committee to work on any disputes.

The Prime Minister Abdiweli Muhammed Ali said while they embrace the idea for electing leaders through popular elections, the country is not yet ready for it.

He hailed the people of Uganda for their support. He assured the President that the people of Somalia are ready to exercise democracy by proxy through their traditional leaders because the elders have the moral and legitimate authority that the politicians don’t have at the moment.

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