I have no job, I depend on my wife - Besigye

By Frederick Kiwanuka

Former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party president Kizza Besigye has said he depends on his wife Eng. Winnie Byanyima for upkeep because he has neither a job nor a thriving business to sustain him.

Besigye, who is an FDC presidential flag-bearer hopeful for the 2016 presidential polls, says he would have loved to have Byanyima in Uganda so that they fight for democracy together, but their circumstances require her to stay abroad so that she provides for the family.

Byanyima, a former legislator and a UN employee, is currently the executive director of Oxfam International.
 

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Besigye with his wife Winnie during the 2011 campaigns

“I have no job other than fighting for freedom. All my businesses went down. We wouldn’t have managed if both of us were here,” Besigye said, adding that Winnie was also helping him lobby for support.

Besigye was late last week meeting party delegates from Luwero, Nakaseke and Nakasongola districts.

He was responding to a concern from Hadijja Nassali, who said FDC supporters would be happy to see Besigye campaigning with Winnie.

“I would have wanted her to be around so that she adds her weight, but the situation does not allow,” Besigye responded.

The former opposition party president later addressed public rallies in the towns of Luwero and Wobulenzi.

Besigye said he feels emotional whenever he goes to Luweero because he remembers the suffering that people went through during the National Resistance Army liberation war.

He said his political nemesis, President Yoweri Museveni, had betrayed the liberation cause by failing to restore democratic principles in the country.

Godfrey Ekanya, who heads Besigye’s campaign team, said intimidating opposition members was a sign that the NRM was about to collapse.

Ugandans are readying to go to the polls early next year.



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