National dialogue takes shape as teams meet at Entebbe

National dialogue takes shape as teams meet at Entebbe

What you need to know:

  • Sources from the retreat say Mr Rukutana who represented the government confirmed to the members that an official communique was finalized and now awaits the president's signature.

The long awaited National Dialogue is finally back on track after different actors took off two days to deliberate on how to move forward with the process at the Entebbe Imperial Resort Hotel.
“The two-day retreat is aimed at rethinking the strategies of the dialogue and coming up with ways on how to proceed with the process,” a communication from the Inter Religious Council of Uganda says.
The event that started on Monday as closes today has drawn members from the government team, the opposition, civil society and other interest groups.

“Day one of the Uganda National Dialogue Process retreats for conveners kick-started on a very good note with members from the government, opposition, IPOD, Civil society & religious leaders gracing the event,” a Facebook post from the organisers says.
The government team is led by the deputy attorney general Mwesigwa Rukutana and includes Evelyn Anite, Dr Kenneth Omona, Mr James Tweheyo, Ms Dorothy Kisaka, while the opposition delegation includes the leader of Opposition in Parliament, Betty Aol Achan, IPOD chairman Norbert Mao, among others.
Also on the team for the retreat includes members of the civil society including, CCEDU, Women Situation room, UWONET, Gliss and religious leaders who included, the Grand Mufti of Uganda Sheik Shaban Ramathan Mubajje, Bishop Joshua Lwere, Dr John Kakembo, Msgr Charles Kasibante and IRCU secretary-general Mr Joshua Kitakule and Members from The Elders forum Uganda (TEFU).

Sources from the retreat say Mr Rukutana who represented the government confirmed to the members that an official communique was finalized and now awaits the president's signature.
The initial National Dialogue was supposed to kick off last year, but the process was blocked at the last minute by the government. Since then, calls have come from all quarters to restart the process to ensure that Uganda’s future is sorted out through a consultative national dialogue instead of using the barrels of guns to settle out political contestations.
It is hoped that revamping the process will help address a number of contentious issues ahead of the 2021 general elections.