The meaning of Winnie Byanyima speech while introducing Kizza Besigye

By John C Ssentongo

Introduction
“It pains my heart when I have to talk to you in English. If there’s a mzungu here, he hears everything.”

Yes. It’s shame we have no indigenous local language. The language you speak symbolize who you’re. Even as millions cry we are in bondage, we say it in a language of imperialists. Uganda needs an indigenous uniting language. We better come to terms with either Kiswahili or accept Luganda.

About Besigye
lI thank you so much for coming here to welcome Besigye. This man must never feel that he is fighting alone. I would like to thank the men and women that have worked flat out to organise this event.”

Meaning. We enjoy your support. This is not Besigye’s war. It’s everyone’s fight.
Good talkers, no actions
“There have been many speakers that have excited us. We want to take a step back to some comments regarding other countries.”

Meaning. Why are FDC supporters just talkers? Don’t just praise Besigye, get involved. Be like Besigye.

The Besigye I know
“My role here is to introduce to you my partner and friend. Many times people tell me how does he cope. All the time people are sympathising. How sorry they are how do we cope.
I ask them: What is the alternative.”

Meaning. Don’t be sorry. Join us.

What’s at stake?
“Let us consider. By the end of today, 17 women will die giving child birth and that is every year. Museveni will send his daughter to Germany to give birth. That is one single woman yet 17 die every day.
I met a little boy in Karamoja. I asked him why arent you in class he said my mother couldnt afford. 150m has been spent on just MPs as this goes on.
I met a Patience with a daughter with a first class degree but not job but we have some school drop outs in the offices as diplomats.
Muhanga brought a sack of 10bn to buy UBC. is this acceptable alternative.
I think of a secondary school teacher in Mbarara. she is to teach other people’s kids but cannot afford her own kids’. Is this an acceptable alternative?
I ask myself, what is the alternative. When I think of the thousands of our kids that have been taken to bushes to congo to loot. There is no authority of Parliament. He took me to prison for asking. Our kids die in the bushes. M7 just takes kids to bushes with no Parliament approval.”

Meaning. The answer is from Byanyima herself.
“When I think of all this, it is injustice.”
“When people ask me. how does Besigye cope, I say we cannot accept injustice. There’s no choice. We must take a stand once you take a stand you do not go back, you take the blows.”

How Winnie feels about her hubby
“I am married to a man who stands up to injustice and does not count the cost. Those just scare you.”
Meaning. I am proud of my husband. I have however sacrificed him by allowing him to take part in the struggle against Museveni.

Timid people win nothing
“I heard you saying that the spies are here and you pointed to one corner. Those are bullies, look at them in the eyes and take a stand. The power shifts back to you. lets take a stand. To be human means not to accept injustice. Do not accept injustice, we take a stand we take the blows.”

Meaning. Why waste time on inconsequential things? Fearing spies is fearing one’s shadow.

We have given up everything
“For Besigye I do not sympathise with him, I do not pity him, I take a stand. We first met in the bushes. He treated them and they do not remember him. We take a stand and all those blows are badges of honour.
It is not just about FDC, it is about a movement to claim back our power and have justice. The fact that he is a prisoner…we are proud. We shall fight it off, we fought it off remember. We have been there before. That is how a bully works. He still won.
As a prisoner, he symbolises that we are all prisoners. We have to work for the liberation through defiance. We shall defy forcefully. We cannot accept to be ruled illegimitely.”

Warning to Museveni
“Museveni says this kisanja Hakuna Mchezo. I say back this time Hakuna Mchezo.”