Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Adonia Ayebare, has revealed previously undisclosed details about a high-level dialogue that took place in 2016 between President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Ayebare disclosed that the dialogue, initiated after the contested 2016 presidential elections, was facilitated by Annika Söder, a former Swedish Minister for Development Cooperation.
The discussions were aimed at addressing key national issues, including reforms to the Electoral Commission, a review of the disputed election results, and advancing the East African Federation agenda.
According to Ayebare, both Museveni and Besigye agreed on the terms of the dialogue, with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) reportedly signed and currently held at a Western embassy in Kampala. However, the process stalled before any public signing or implementation of the agreements.
Ayebare pointed to Besigye’s alleged reluctance to publicly commit to the agreement, stating, “It was @kizzabesigye1 saying that he did not want to be portrayed as having sold out. He missed a chance of being a statesman.”
The ambassador expressed disappointment over the failure of the process, adding Winnie Byanyima, who was involved in the dialogue, also shared his frustrations over what he described as “the intransigence of her side.”
Ayebare further emphasized his belief in Uganda’s institutions—Parliament, the Judiciary, and the Executive—to handle the country’s internal political contradictions without external mediation.
He revealed that the MoU is stored at a Western embassy which he did not disclose.
Besigye was charged with treason on Friday.
