By Agather Atuhaire
Defence minister Jeje Odongo has urged Ugandans to be careful with the words they are saying about the crashed helicopters. Odongo said that the people who are spreading rumours that the helicopters were shot down by the Kenyan government could spark off an unnecessary regional conflict.
“I appeal to all Ugandans to be careful with their words because this can easily spark off a very unfortunate situation,” he said.
Odongo was appearing before the defence and internal affairs committee of parliament to clarify on the helicopter crush issue.
He maintained that the cause of the accidents was only bad weather and that should there be any other cause, the newly instituted board of inquiry will find out.
He informed the committee that president Yoweri Museveni has instituted a board of inquiry chaired by his brother Salim Saleh Akandwanaho to look into the matter. The president apparently appointed 3 more people to the committee of seven and that the remaining three are supposed to be chosen by the chief of defence forces.
But the members didn’t hide their disapproval of the president’s brother who apparently purchased some of the aircrafts being the head of the probe. But Odongo assured them that Saleh was appointed not by accident but because he is highly merited to perform on that job.
Odongo further told the MPs who were asking whether the African Union and the United Nations will compensate Uganda for the loss that the two organisations only take responsibility for accidents in the mission area.
“but we are still studying the document we signed with them to see if there is any chance that we will be compensated,” he said.
