Dear Ugandans, and all those that care for her.

Today, I heard through twitter that FDC had called for a peaceful demonstration in Uganda following the disputed elections. I followed up with a chat with one of the staff at DANIDA, an agency that funded the Voices of Uganda/Honor Your Vote national communications campaign. She told me that even though the announcement was for a peaceful demonstration, there was a lot of fear that it could turn violent. My personal view is that the timing of the demonstration is not a good one. It could indeed turn violent, by fueling anger into the hearts of people. While I believe strongly in freedom, and fair elections, I value even more the lives of people. The US State Department issued a statement congratulating President Museveni yesterday. The statement acknowledged massive diversion of state resources to buy voters, and a heavy presence of the military, which are factors that could have led to an unfair election. But the statement also urged for restraint from the opposition, and asked them to concede defeat. In all honesty, I share the views of the State Department in that statement. The opposition should wait it out, and the time for a peaceful demonstration will come. If they go ahead and do it now, they risk the lives of thousands of innocent Ugandans that shall be lost at the hands of the Uganda military, and as President Museveni has promised, crash them he will. There are are many civil ways to defeat the NRM, and those are the ones FDC and other opposition parties should concentrate on.