Ssemujju: This is why I fled Uganda

Mr Ssemujju did not disclose his current country of residence but said he had decided to remain outside Uganda despite leaving his family behind.
“I’m out, and I think I will be making better contributions from where I am instead of returning and either keep quiet or be taken to the basement,” he said.
His departure adds to a growing list of opposition politicians and government critics who have left Uganda amid concerns over their safety and political persecution.
Among those who have previously gone into exile are National Unity Platform president Robert Kyagulanyi, commonly known as Bobi Wine, writer Kakwenza Rukirabashaija, lawyer Eron Kiiza, academic Stella Nyanzi and Uganda Federal Alliance president Robert Kayingo.
Mr Ssemujju said the departure of opposition figures was a sign of what he described as a shrinking political space and weakening of multiparty democracy in Uganda.

“I think competitive politics in Uganda has ended. I only hope that those in power can step back and rescue the country by returning to the democratic and constitutional path,” he said.

He argued that some opposition members who have remained in Uganda are also unable to freely express themselves because of what he described as fear and intimidation.
“Some have not fled, but they are supposed to be under their bed or can’t even utter a word because of the fear and terror that have engulfed our country,” he said.
Mr Ssemujju further questioned the effectiveness of political parties in a situation where opposition leaders are allegedly arrested or forced into exile.

“Political parties are meaningless because if you have a president of another party kidnapped, in the case of (Erias) Lukwago, and the main presidential competitor in the recent election is also away, really that’s where we are, and we must accept it and then begin to look for a solution,” he said.

NRM dismisses claims
The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) dismissed claims that Uganda’s political space is shrinking, arguing that the freedom enjoyed by opposition politicians remains available to them.
NRM spokesperson Emmanuel Dombo said the opposition was not raising a new complaint, noting that some of its members had continued to criticise the government and its leaders while operating within the country.

“They are not saying anything new because even when they were here using their freedom to abuse leaders, they were still saying there was no freedom for them to exercise their freedom,” Mr Dombo said.
He urged opposition politicians claiming political persecution to use existing political dialogue platforms instead of leaving the country.
Mr Dombo pointed to the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD), saying political parties should use the platform to raise their concerns and seek solutions through dialogue.

“When the NUP decided to join the IPOD, to us this is something positive, and through the IPOD forum, they should keep raising up those matters so that through positive interactions, the various parties should be able to resolve the issues about Uganda and about the politics of the country,” he said.

Rights activists warn
However, the executive director of the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI), Dr Livingstone Sewanyana, said recent events had created fear and uncertainty among opposition supporters and others holding divergent political views.
“Recent events have demonstrated that those who hold alternative or divergent views are not free from abuse,” Dr Sewanyana said.

He cited alleged abductions, enforced disappearances and mistreatment of opposition supporters as factors contributing to the sense of insecurity.
“The abductions, enforced disappearances and mistreatment of especially people in opposition have caused a lot of fear to the extent that people are no longer safe in the country,” he said.
Dr Sewanyana urged government to reassure citizens that they are protected and free to express alternative political views.
“Government needs to do all it can to reassure people that they are not only safe, but they have space to speak and express alternative views,” he said.
He warned that continued human rights violations could eventually contribute to an exodus of Ugandans fleeing the country for political reasons.

“It should be an early warning to those holding positions of responsibility that continued abuse of human rights will not only create instability but will also lead to an exodus of people, not only for economic purposes but also for political purposes,” he said.
Thousands of Ugandans, particularly young people, already leave the country each year in search of employment, education and healthcare opportunities abroad.

An increase in political exile, analysts and rights advocates warn, could further deprive Uganda of its skilled and productive population.
President Museveni has, however, repeatedly urged Ugandans to exploit opportunities at home, pointing to the country’s natural resources, fertile land and economic potential as a foundation for prosperity.
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