Highly placed State House sources have revealed to this investigative website that President Museveni travelled to his Kisozi country farm to have enough time to think about the prayers made by top religious leaders under their umbrella organisation the Inter Religious Council of Uganda concerning the current situation in the country.
Among the prayers made which the President promised to give a response to was the release of prominent political opposition leaders People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) supreme leader and party president Dr Kizza Besigye and Erias Lukwago.
Others are Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi and Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro both from the National Unity Platform (NUP).
In the two meetings which the president held with religious leaders at Entebbe State House in a period of two weeks, religious leaders led by Stephen Kazimba Mugalu the Archbishop of the church of Uganda pleaded with Museveni to release the opposition leaders at least on bail to ease the political tension in the country.
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One of the religious leaders who attended the meeting said that the meeting was hot after religious leaders complained to the president that the way opposition leaders are being handled is humiliating and creating hatred and division among Ugandans.
A senior religious leader told Ono Bwino that they reported to the President that they are also being pressurised by opinion leaders including cultural leaders who are asking them to do something to calm the political situation in the country.
He further claimed that these religious leaders asked the President to confirm to them whether he is still in control because Ugandans are wondering how he changed and became hard on his political opponents and activists.
Pastor Joseph Sserwadda claimed that their meeting with the President led to the release of Maria Matembe a former minister of ethics and integrity.
Matembe’s release was delayed because of contradicting orders and it was the reason why the trial magistrate who released her on bail made a shocking statement because of the contradicting guidance she was receiving.
Sources added that apart from religious leaders, the Kabaka of Buganda Ronald Muwenda Mutebi also sent a message to the president pleading with him to do something to save the situation concerning the ongoing human rights violations.
“It’s true, religious and cultural leaders especially in Buganda might be panicking over the situation in the country, but what they should know is that Museveni is still in control and he is following everything which is going on. His decision to calm the situation is going to shock the world, just keep watching,” a senior State House official told Ono Bwino.
Sources added that it was because of that message and frequent statements being made by Buganda Kingdom Premier Charles Peter Mayiga concerning the ongoing human rights violation that vice president Jessica Alupo led a delegation to meet Mayiga at Bulange the headquarters of Buganda Kingdom.
Even though the President seems to be under pressure, he assured the country last week during his address to the nation that everything is under control and that security is filling the gap to create discipline among Ugandans especially the political class.
He accused incarcerated politicians especially Dr Besigye of delaying his criminal trial on charges related to treason by turning Courtrooms into a theatre.
He encouraged Ugandans to demand the criminal trial to proceed instead of demanding the accused persons to be released on bail.
Sources said that the President has been making consultations on whether the accused persons should be released on bail even though security insists on not releasing them on ground that they will interfere with the state witnesses and frustrate the ongoing investigations in the cases where they are involved.
Sources said that by the time the President will leave his country farm, he will have made a decision and he will extensively respond to religious leaders concerns in writing.
The development comes at a time when Besigye, Lukwago, Kivumbi, Mufumbiro and others are waiting for court announcement on their bail application.
