Museveni Didn’t Consult EAC Leaders - Kagame
http://allafrica.com/stories/200802070664.html
By Sulah Nuwamanya
Kigali
President Museveni should have consulted fellow East African Community leaders before embarking on a peace mission to Kenya recently, says Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame.
President Kagame told the press during a monthly briefing in Kigali this week that such consultation among EAC leaders would have Museveni’s trip more productive as a collective approach.
President Museveni, chairman of the East African Community (EAC), traveled to Kenya last month where he spoke to the protagonists about ending the conflict.
During the briefing at Village Urugwiro on Monday, Kagame also defended his call for military intervention to stop the post-election violence ravaging Kenya.
General Kagame was on January 30 quoted by media after a meeting with the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki- moon, calling on the Kenyan military to get out of their barracks and quell the crisis that has so far claimed close to 1,000 lives.
Admitting it was a controversial prescription, Kagame said then that military intervention was nevertheless an option. As expected, the president’s remarks drew some criticism, with critics describing his approach as militaristic and undemocratic.
However, rather than back down, Kagame defended his position, saying his view was based on the fact that innocent lives are being lost in that country almost everyday.
“My position is based on such killings and groups targeting each other, and so how do we get out. I was therefore suggesting that in such a situation one institution that is strong, free of being compromised and effective should intervene besides peace talks going on,” Kagame maintained.
Besides military intervention, Kagame suggested three possible ways out of the impasse; another election, a recount or power sharing. “I want to make my position clear on this matter. There are three scenarios of ending this situation and one of them is a re-run and I don’t know how effective it may be, or a recount and once again I don’t know whether there is anything to count again,” he said.
“If re-election and recount fail to yield any solution, then another approach would be power sharing like we have done in Rwanda.” He gave an example of the 2003 Rwanda constitution which is built on a power-sharing model. Under this constitution, the political party of the wining president cannot provide the Speaker of the Senate or Prime Minister. Different parties share the top positions of power.
Such a power-sharing arrangement, the Rwandan leader said, may help settle the dispute in the interest of the suffering masses across Kenya.
Pouring cold water on the proposal that a judicial commission of inquiry be instituted, Kagame spoke of his “well founded doubts” about the idea, saying it has no real facts to base on.”
After saying so much, Kagame nevertheless pointed out that he is not an expert on Kenyan issues, adding that solving the crisis is a domestic Kenyan matter.
Besides Kenya, the president addressed several domestic issues of his own, ranging from land redistribution to the earthquake that has killed about 40 people in his country.
Next entry: Shailja Patel interview
Previous entry: Kenya official hails US travel ban