In a show of solidarity, members of parliament from West Nile Sub-Region have threatened to secede and go back to Congo if Evelyn Anite is assassinated.
Legislators from eleven districts under West Nile Parliamentary Group addressed the media on Tuesday and said their attention has been drawn to death threats allegedly issued to their colleague saying they cannot take it as a light matter considering what happened to former MP Arua Municipality Hon. Ibrahim Abiriga (also from West Nile) who they said received similar threats before he was assassinated.
The MPs claim Anite is pursuing a genuine cause for accountability which for no reason can be rewarded with death threats.
Minister Evelyn Anite convened a press conference yesterday and said mafias in government are trailing her with a plan to assassinate her for her stance in the fate of the troubled Uganda Telecom Limited (UTL).
Legislators said after Abiriga’s death in June 2018, Evelyn Anite became a legitimate target considering her support for NRM, and She is not the first person from West Nile to receive such threats for opposing corruption tendencies in government. They cited a case of former minister Zoe Bakoko Bakoru who allegedly sought political asylum fearing for her life after opposing dealings in management of NSSF.
“This country is for all of us, much as we became part this country in 1914, we belong here. We don’t want anything to happen to Anite and we hope government will treat her security as a matter with urgency” said Etuka Isaac Joakino MP Upper Madi constituency.
“She is a mother to us and she is doing a great job for this country. we cannot let anything happen to her” said Rose Atima Ayaka.
The legislators now demand that government should pronounce itself on the security of Evelyn Anite, and assure the people of West Nile who are anxious over her safety.
They also demand for a pronouncement on the state of affairs in UTL, the status of its assets, and a guarantee that no Ugandan irrespective of their tribe, or affiliation should be vindicated or witch-hunted when performing his or her duties.
“We are ready to leave this parliament, walk back to our people, pick our people and leave this country. We from West Nile cannot stand with this government because it is a system and defend corruption. She talked about the truth on UTL” Hon. Alioni Odria.
They say the issue with UTL is corruption and they don’t see why someone trying to redeem a government entity should be witch hunted.
They said ‘Westnilers’ are warriors who had chose to remain quite, but this is enough and they are now ready to confront the mafias head on.