By Andante Okanya
THE chairperson of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Jaberi Bidandi Ssali, has said he regrets having believed in President Yoweri Museveni.
Bidandi Ssali, the longest serving local government minister in the NRM Government, former political strategist and confidante of Museveni, was dropped from the Cabinet in 2006.
In November 2004, Bidandi Ssali resigned as second vice-chairperson of the NRM after the party’s national executive committee (NEC) endorsed the removal of presidential term limits at Kyankwanzi.
“I regret believing in Museveni. I was definitely duped,†Bidandi said.
He was on Saturday speaking on Fair and Square, a talkshow on Vision Voice radio.
The show’s host, Paul Busharizi, had asked Bidandi to explain his political ambitions and what led to his fallout with Museveni.
Narrating the events, the veteran politician, whose political life spans over four decades, said the people’s will against changing the Constitution to remove term limits was ignored.
“The Kyankwanzi decision wasn’t democratic. Most of the chairpersons came with recommendations that the people were against changing the Constitution,†Bidandi said.
He lamented his being left out of the Cabinet in 2006, saying he was misunderstood when he opposed a third term for the President.
Bidandi explained that the disagreement was based on the fact that the time was ripe for NRM to institutionalise itself by establishing structures rather than live in the shadow of its leader.
He, however, cautioned opposition political parties against being obsessed with removing Museveni from power, saying it is a selfish gesture that lacks genuine basis.
Bidandi asked the parties to draw lessons from Uganda’s previous failed attempts of political alliances. “Let us first concentrate on building our parties. Getting together to remove Museveni from power cannot work,†Bidandi said.
Bidandi is set to contest for the presidency in the 2011 general elections.
He was last month declared flag-bearer by the PPP’s electoral commission.