Leaders urged to begin the healing and reconciliation process in order to build peace in the region.

About 1000 people are living in a camp at Bubukwanga in Bundibugyo district as a result of the post election conflicts that emerged after the February general elections. This was said by Mr. Mutabingwa Joseph from Rwenzori Forum for Peace and Justice (RFPJ) while appearing live on TooroDev supported ''Listeners forum'' program that is aired live every Sunday from 8:00pm -10:00pm on Jubilee radio.

Mr. Mutabingwa also said that we have people not only from the affected districts but from other districts country wide who lost elections after even selling their property and talking sharp words on their opponents on radios and we do not know what those people are thinking. we therefore need a process of healing and reconciliation in our people and we request our leaders to begin that process immediately. Mr. Mutabingwa further said that we need to set goals to achieve our mission we have for the Rwenzori region and Uganda as a whole to make them better places to stay.

The 2 hours live radio discussion on Post election violence in the Rwenzori region was also attended by Hon. Enock Byakagaba the Councilor elect for Baazar ward in Fort Portal municipality who said that much as there has been actions taken to silence the conflict by a number of actors, some issues are not well attended like involving victims of the conflict and their relatives and  addressing the problem from the scene not meeting selected leaders in hotels which does not give other community members chance to share what they are thinking.

Mr. Byakagaba appealed to all stakeholders to mobilize ourselves to build a better and conducive environment where there is no division of citizens based on tribe, religion, clan, color, language, etc.

Mr. Mukonyezi Winfred Abooki, the Moderator of Listeners Forum Program on Jubilee radio

Callers were given time to participate in the discussion through call-ins and Sms platform, these are some of their comments;

‘’ We need to use a participatory approach where everyone has to be an agent of transformation including churches, mosques, government, Civil Society Organizations, etc if we are to build peace in our country’’, said Kemigabo Monica a caller from Busoro Sub county in Kabarole district, ‘’we should learn to live with other cultures and actually appreciate them in order to learn from their best practices for development. We therefore need tolerance and dialogue in dealing with conflicts’’, said Hon. Muntu willy a caller from Ntoroko district, ‘’ let the people involved in solving the conflict go and meet from the exact place where conflicts started than seating in hotels because more information in relation to what may have caused the conflict can be got from other community members’’, said Paul a caller from Bugaki sub county in Kyenjojo district, ‘’ We appreciate the efforts done by ToroDev to keep the populace informed, however I think we need to use regional approach involving all stakeholders to address the issue of post elections in the region’’, said John Kahunde a caller from Bukuku in Kabarole district.

The program was moderated by Mr. Mukonyezi Wilfred Abooki for Jubilee radio.

We are grateful to all our partners SIDA, DRT, NED, SPIDER, CIPESA & ICT4DEM for the support towards the running of these programs on radios.