THURSDAY, 5.00PM
UGANDAN President Yoweri Museveni, widely regarded as the key supporter of Laurent Kabila, has advised his protege not to let himself be stampeded into “unrealistic” early elections.
Museveni, who has resisted elections in his own country, urged Kabila to first rehabilitate infrastructure, arrest the country’s runaway inflation, and then set up the infrastructure necessary to carry out meaningful elections.
Museveni also stressed the need for a broad-based government to unite the country, but warned that Kabila should hold the majority of seats: “Kabila’s task is to unite that country now. There was a lot of unity which brought together many anti-Mobutu groups. This should be maintained by forming a broad based government. But he should not lose control,” Museveni advised.
Uganda stands to benefit economically from the changes in the former Zaire through closer political and economic cooperation. Museveni said he has already discussed with Kabila the development of a Kasese-Kisangani road with assistance from the European Union.
MUSEVENI is due to arrive in Cape Town on Monday night for a four-day state visit, the first by a Ugandan head of state to SA.