Bukenya advises Besigye not to stand in 2016

By Moses Mulondo

Former Vice President Prof. Gilbert Balibaseka Bukenya has advised former FDC president Dr. Kizza Besigye not to stand for presidency in the forthcoming 2016 elections.

Speaking to The New Vision in an exclusive interview, Bukenya said, “Besigye has been a presidential candidate three times and he has failed to defeat President Museveni. I wouldn't advise Besigye to stand again in 2016.”

Some FDC leaders including the Leader of Opposition Wafula Oguttu have often said since the FDC party constitution does not prohibit Besigye from standing again, they can still field him as their flag bearer in the 2016 presidential elections.

On Bukenya's advice to Besigye, Wafula said, “That is Bukenya's personal view. I don't know why he is saying it because Besigye has not told us he wants to stand in 2016. But Besigye did not lose the contests. The elections were rigged.”

Bukenya however maintained that having been the main opposition candidate in the last three presidential elections, Besigye has a role to play in the realization of political transition in the country.

Whereas in the 2001 presidential election Museveni won with 69.3%, his main challenger Besigye got only 27.8%.
Besigye's peak was in the 2006 presidential election in which he got 37.39% against Museveni's 59.26%.Many were shocked when in the 2011 race Besigye declined from the 37.39% in 2006 to only 26.01%.

It is on account of such statistics that Prof. Bukenya believes the candidate who will have the capacity to defeat President Museveni should be from another region other than the western region.

“I think the population is tired of leadership continuously rotating among people from western Uganda. For me, when I go around the country, I see demand to change to leadership from elsewhere. May be it is high time we got leadership from Buganda,” Bukenya argued.

The Busiro North MP and NRM chairman for Wakiso district argues that whereas there have been Baganda Presidents before; there has never been a substantive Muganda President with executive powers.

“Godfrey Binaisa and Yusuf Lule were controlled by the military commission and that is why their stay in power was too short-lived. Unfortunately many Baganda tend to concentrate on the negatives of a person and ignore his positives. Such Baganda are waiting for a Muganda presidential candidate who is an angel and they will never get him or her,” he elaborated.

Bukenya, who has repeatedly declared will stand for president in 2016, said Prof. Muhamood Mamdan was probably right when he said Baganda are Uganda's majority tribe with a minority mentality.  

In the 2008 first Buganda conference, Prof. Muhamood Mamdan challenged Baganda to stop being the majority with a minority mentality and aim at taking over the presidency of Uganda.

On his rating of President Museveni's government on democracy, Bukenya said, “They have not acted in good faith. NRM leaders have been going around the country holding meetings and campaigns unabated yet the other groups go around under the cover of teargas.  The Kyankwanzi resolution for Museveni's sole candidature has totally destroyed the democratic process within the NRM.”

 On human rights and freedoms, Bukenya said, “Human rights in Uganda have been grossly violated and one of the examples is the detention of suspects beyond the 48 hours provided for in the constitution.  The Public Order Management law is a draconian law which is undermining the freedom of Ugandans to assemble.  Ugandans are denied justice in the courts of law. You know the story of the Lord Mayor and how his case is taking ages yet justice delayed is justice denied.”

On unity in diversity Bukenya said, “Unfortunately many people who speak out against tribalism turn out to be the most tribalistic in practice. President Museveni and his NRM government have shamelessly undermined the spirit of oneness by practicing nepotism and tribalism which are unprecedented in the history of Uganda. You cannot build oneness where majority of the high ranks/positions of security agencies and other juicy public offices are occupied by people from one region of the country.”

Responding to Bukenya's advice to Besigye not to stand again, the FDC spokesperson John Kikonyogo said, “Besigye can stand again if others don't come out to stand. Bukenya should concentrate on selling his candidature and convincing Ugandans that he has the capacity to win the race.”

Reacting to Bukenya's remarks that democracy within NRM has died, the NRM spokesperson Mary Karooro said, “There is nothing about Bukenya's criticisms ever since he was dropped. Why didn't he say those things when he was still in government? The Kyankwanzi resolution enhanced democracy because people freely talked and appended their signatures in a democratic way.”