Four-time Presidential Candidate and former President of the Forum for Democratic Change, Dr. Kizza Besigye has apologised to the Catholic Church and Ugandans over the comments he made following the death of Kampala Archbishop, Dr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga.
Dr. Cyprian died on Saturday. On Monday, Dr. Besigye took to his social media and said the post mortem which revealed that the Archbishop had died of heart attack caused by a blood clot was not conclusive.
In a long post titled, ‘The Sudden and Unexplained Death of Archbishop Kizito Lwanga- Spotlight is on Mr. Museveni & The NRM/M7 Junta’, Besigye said what could have helped reduce suspicion about Lwanga’s death would be a postmortem report “that conclusively showed a natural cause of sudden death”.
He said Lwanga had always spoken about government’s excesses but had also raised fears over his life.
Now, Besigye has in another post on social media said he was misled by innacurate reports.
“These sources seem to have had incorrect information for what has since been formally said by the Catholic Church and the doctors involved in the process. My apologies to the readers who may have been consumed by the inaccurate information and similarly, to the Catholic Church and late Archbishop Lwanga’s family,” Besigye said in a post on facebook.
Besigye said his initial opinion was meant to highlight the circumstances under which the Kampala Archbishop had died.
“The Archbishop had personally and publicly complained several times of intimidation and threats coming from the government,” he said.
Below is Dr. Besigye’s statement in full;
A CORRECTION AND FOCUS ON OUR DUTY, AS WE MOURN ARCHBISHOP KIZITO LWANGA:
Yesterday, I posted on this page my opinion regarding the sudden passing of Archbishop Kizito Lwanga.
In that post, I referred to an article of the Daily Monitor newspaper of 5th March 2021 headed: “Lwanga’s postmortem results still inconclusive”.
It said that having failed to see any of the easily seen causes, the doctors had “opted to carry out further toxicological and histological analysis; the first to find out if there’s poison in the body,..”
I also relied on some other sources that corroborated the Daily Monitor story.
These sources seem to have had incorrect information, from what has since been formally said by the Catholic Church and the doctors involved in the process.
My apologies to the readers who may have been consumed by the inaccurate information and, similarly, to the Catholic Church and late Archibishop Lwanga’s family.
The important point I wanted to highlight though, and which should not be discounted at all, is the circumstance under which the late Archibishop died.
The Archbishop had personally and publicly complained several times of intimidation and threats coming from the government.
Since the January 2021 elections, Mr M7 has warned the Catholic Church and Buganda/ Baganda and promised to crush those he considers subversive.
This coming from a person that doesn’t just exercise powers of the President of Uganda, but is clearly exercising all “sovereign” power, is a matter that shouldn’t be taken lightly at all.
Northern Uganda, Teso and Kasese regions know what it means to be “crushed”.
Hundreds of people are yet to be accounted for in Buganda, since the November 2020 killings. A state of terror reigns.
Archbishop Lwanga has been a courageous voice against the state of terror and rampant Human Rights abuses. He raised his voice on the matter on Good Friday.
Mr Museveni or anyone occupying the office of President of Uganda should have no right to intimidate, threaten or indeed, oversee the kidnapping, torture and killing of Ugandans.
Respect for our rights; the rule of law; democratic governance; and equitable socioeconomic development will remain elusive if we don’t rally together to challenge and fight back against tyrannical rule. Archbishop Lwanga played his role.
Over to you.
