Besigye’s PFF Party Rejects General Salim Saleh’s Democracy Proposal

The opposition People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) has officially rejected Gen Salim Saleh’s proposed Consociational Democracy Agreement. Speaking to the press, acting PFF president Dr Michael Lulume Bayiga stated that the party is not entirely opposed to dialogue, but it refuses to partake in negotiations where the agenda and leadership have been exclusively predetermined by the ruling government.

Gen Saleh had previously asserted that he was working toward a political resolution with jailed opposition stalwart Dr Kizza Besigye, anticipating potential breakthroughs within months. However, the PFF views the proposed agreement as a superficial arrangement reminiscent of the Movement political system, warning that it offers zero genuine political reform while merely creating cabinet positions for select opposition figures.

To engage in any meaningful national conversation, the PFF outlined four non-negotiable conditions. First, the talks must feature a neutral convener mutually agreed upon by all participating factions rather than handpicked by the state. Second, the meeting’s agenda must be jointly developed to address critical concerns such as constitutional reforms, governance, and political freedoms.

Third, the dialogue requires broad representation extending beyond politicians to include religious leaders, cultural institutions, civil society, and the business community. Finally, the party insists on having an independent guarantor with the necessary authority and credibility to ensure that any signed agreements are faithfully implemented by the government.

The opposition faction also reiterated its demands for a comprehensive political transition following President Yoweri Museveni’s decades-long rule, the adoption of a federal system, and the immediate release of political detainees including Dr Kizza Besigye, Erias Lukwago, and several other supporters. Read more details about this development in the The Observer source article.