Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has said that African countries failed to stop Western countries from attacking Libya in 2011.
The intervention by the West led by the United States and a Nato-led coalition in March 2011 forced out long-time leader Moammar Gaddafi.
At the peak of that military attack, Gaddafi was captured and killed by Libyan militias backed by the West.
Since Gaddafi’s death Libya has been thrown into turmoil and ruled by factions.
President Museveni told the BBC that African countries should have put up a military resistance to “teach a lesson” to western powers.
He said “The African countries should not have allowed Western countries to attack Libya. We should have intervened. We tried diplomatically but we could have intervened even militarily.”
Museveni adds that “Africa could have intervened and taught those people a lesson… Libya was an African country being attacked by foreign powers, we should have intervened.”
Libya has an UN-backed unity government which has failed to assert its authority, leading to the emergence of a militia led by a former officer in Muammar Gaddafi’s army, Khalifa Haftar.
Haftar wants to topple the internationally recognized government in Tripoli.
The battle over Tripoli which started in April last year has led to the displacement of millions with thousands sustaining injuries.
Eastern Libyan forces have been marching towards the centre of Tripoli for months now seeking to take control of the city.
Berlin hosted talks between the warring factions in Libya this month hoping to ensure there is cease fire and peace in the north African country.
But President Museveni termed that move as “tokenism”.
Libya since Gaddafi’s overthrow has become a hub for slave trade as Africans hoping to cross the Mediterranean into Europe are subjected to inhumane treatments and sold in slave markets.
Efforts are however ongoing to ensure that the North African country holds presidential and parliamentary elections.
Source: Africafeeds.com
