Besigye Criticizes Ministers for Wearing Military Fatigue at Kyankwanzi Retreat

Former presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye has criticized Cabinet Ministers and Permanent Secretaries for wearing military fatigue.

The retired soldier was responding to a photo of Secretary to the Treasury Ramathan Ggoobi donning army uniform.

Ggoobi and fellow Permanent Secretaries, alongside their ministers, are currently at an Introspection Retreat at the National Leadership Institute, Kyankwanzi. This retreat has been organized by the National Resistance Movement Central Executive Committee in response to rampant corruption allegations in the country.

Over the years, attendees at Kyankwanzi retreats have always received backlash for this. Adding his voice to the critics, Besigye described the practice of dressing civilians in military fatigues as part of President Museveni’s broader strategy to militarize the state and subordinate all state institutions to army control.

“Dressing civilians in UPDF military fatigues while at the ‘National Leadership Institute’ Kyankwanzi is part of Mr. Museveni’s militarization of the state. This move subordinates all state institutions to the military.” Besige said.

Besigye believes that this well-crafted move is meant to push the country towards an authoritarian direction. Besigye also decried the government’s double standards in handling civilians who wear army uniform.

“Yet, they’re zealous in stopping members of the opposition from putting on anything remotely similar to military wear. These are acts of impunity.”Besigye said.

Civilians Arrsted for wearing military uniform

Since time immemorial, the public has always worn military fatigue, basically for fashion. However, since the emergence of the National Unity Platform (NUP), the military has been strict about clothes containing their paraphernalia. This has seen tens of NUP supporters remanded to prison over charges of possession of army uniforms.

However, NUP leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu says this is an effort by the government to suppress opposition voices. Recently, Lt. Gen. Proscovia Nalweyiso warned singer Alien Skin and other musicians about wearing military attire. This was hardly a week after Latif Madoi, a fashion designer in Kamwokya was arrested over a similar offense.