Uganda: Air Force to Patrol Against Congo Attacks

New Vision (Kampala) NEWS11 August 2007 Posted to the web 12 August 2007 By Fred KayizziKampala
THE Government will soon carry out air strikes to combat the incursions by gunmen on its border with the DR Congo, the energy minister, Daudi Migereko, has said
Addressing hundreds of leaders in Bunyoro region on Friday, Migereko said the Government was considering involving its air force in counteracting the attacks by the Congolese gunmen because it was a quick and effective response to the problem.
"The Government has decided to invest in both human manpower and equipment to strengthen the UPDF, so arrangements are going to be made to respond to such incursions. Any attacks will now be responded to as soon as possible," Migereko said.
He said Uganda had made enough preparations to step up security at its western border to ensure that the oil exploration project succeeds.
The meeting, held at Kolping Hotel in Hoima town, was also attended by ministers Matia Kasaija, Dr. Kasirivu Atwooki, Dr. Kamanda Bataringaya, Simon D'Ujanga and Henry Kajura.
The conference, which discussed the draft national oil and gas policy, also attracted Members of Parliament from Bunyoro, all district chairmen in the region, their RDCs, district councillors from the four districts of Bunyoro, religious leaders and the Bunyoro Kingdom government officials.
Closing the day-long stormy meeting, Migereko, who referred to himself as Bunyoro's grandson, called on the leaders in the region to take a keen interest in the border security for their benefit.
He also urged them to co-operate with the UPDF and other security agencies in their endeavour to curb the incursions in the area so that the ongoing oil exploration project succeeds.
Bunyoro Kingdom officials, led by prime minister Emmanuel Aliba Kiiza demanded for an immediate solution to the land conflicts in the region before the production of oil kicks off in 2009.
"We want the Government to resolve the land conflicts in Bunyoro Kingdom before the production of oil in the area starts because those conflicts will affect the oil production process," Kiiza said.
He also demanded that Parliament amends the constitution so that the royalties from oil be given to cultural institutions as well.
The Government's Chief Whip, who is also the Bujenje MP and a member of Bunyoro's royal Babiito clan, Kabakumba Matsiko, said Bunyoro deserved an affirmative action because of its bad history.
She said the Government should use part of the oil revenue to empower the youth in Bunyoro through training so that they can create and also access meaningful employment for their emancipation.
The state minister for lands, Dr. Kasirivu Atwooki, urged the Banyoro to pressurise the Government to implement the Omukama's commission probe report on land in Bunyoro as a solution to the conflicts in the area.
"I only advise you to mount more pressure on the Government to implement the report by the commission of inquiry. You know the Government sometimes works on people's pressure. That's how I see these things," Kasirivu said.
The commissioner for petroleum exploration and production, Reuben Kashambuzi, welcomed the suggestion to address Bunyoro land conflicts before the oil production starts.
He said the oil companies in the country were concerned about the land conflicts in the Albertine region.
On the sharing of oil revenue, Kashambuzi said Parliament was due to enact a law that stipulates the percentage shares of the revenue.
He explained that the oil policy only sets the direction of the sharing, but does not indicate the percentage to be shared by each party.