President Museveni contacts Libyan leader over Kony

By Henry Mukasa and Hamis Kaheru

KAMPALA, June 26, 2004 (New Vision) — president Yoweri Museveni has contacted several heads of state who might have contacts or influence regarding the Lord’s Resistance Army rebel leader, Joseph Kony.

Defence state minister Ruth Nankabirwa told Parliament on Thursday that Museveni had contacted Libya president Col. Muammar Gadaffi, who in turn talked to Sudan leader Gen. Omar Bashir “who is very influential in this war.”

“He (Museveni) has gone through his fellow heads of state and it has yielded some results,” Nankabirwa said. “Negotiation isn’t a tug-of-war. You must penetrate the two camps fighting and agree on the venue and the mediator. You cannot sit in Parliament and dictate issues concerning negotiations,” Nankabirwa emphasised.

The minister was reacting to comments by Lubaga South MP Ken Lukyamuzi that the Government should name a new northern war peace team since the old one is dysfunctional, with some members out of government and others in exile.