I Refused Museveni Post, Says Kibirige

By Darious Magara PRESIDENTIAL candidate Kibirige Mayanja has said he turned down a ministerial post President Yoweri Museveni offered him in 1996. Kibirige said this on Thursday while addressing residents of Kabale at Kabale Stadium. He was accompanied by his wife, Hajati Mayanja. "Museveni made attempts to give me a ministerial post in his government after the 1996 presidential election but I turned it down," he said. He added, "I cannot work with Museveni because he is a Movement man and I'm a multipartyist. We hold divergent political ideologies and we can never work together." Kibirige was responding to a question on why he had not merged with Col. Kizza Besigye and other candidates opposed to Museveni. Kibirige said Museveni sent him a team which told him that Museveni was considering giving him a ministerial post. Kibirige also said he could not accept a ministerial post under Col. Kizza Besigye if he won the election, because he is also a Movement stalwart. "Kibirige Mayanja and Kizza Besigye could be compared with water and fire. We are parallel. We failed to agree with Besigye because he refused to join multipartyists. Besigye has been confusing us so I cannot merge with him. We have held several unsuccessful meetings," Kibirige said. He asked the people to support him, saying if elected he would establish a sh50,000 monthly allowance for everyone above 70 years. He also promised tax reform. Ends