Pulkol faces uphill task if he runs for presidency
May 11, 2004
FORMER External Security Organisation (ESO) chief, David Pulkol, has propelled himself to the forefront of the anti-Kisanja (third term) campaign. Pulkol has now joined the Parliamentary Advocacy Forum (PAFO), which is campaigning against the lifting of the presidential two-term limit.
FORMER External Security Organisation (ESO) chief, David Pulkol, has propelled himself to the forefront of the anti-Kisanja (third term) campaign. Pulkol has now joined the Parliamentary Advocacy Forum (PAFO), which is campaigning against the lifting of the presidential two-term limit. Talk in the political circles is that Pulkol is positioning himself as a Movement dissident with an eye on the 2006 presidential elections. Although Movement functionaries have downplayed the significance of Pulkol’s defection to the Malwa group, his move cannot be dismissedl. He is a big catch for Pafo. As a former ESO chief, Pulkol has first hand information on how the state machinery operates to keep the opposition at bay. What Pulkol says carries more weight than what some Mps say. Pafo has been in an awkward position because the personalities who have been prominently featuring at its workshops, Eriya Kategaya, Augustine
Ruzindana, Maj. General Mugisha Muntu, Amanya Mushega, Maj. John Kazoora and Capt. David Guma are from Ankole. Pulkol’s emergence is a real blessing to Pafo. But Pulkol would face a lot of odds should he decide to run for presidency. He would face an uphill task to win support from Karamoja’s neighbours, who have been victims of Karimojong cattle rustling. He would also have problems with mainstream opposition groups, the DP, UPC, CP and Justice Forum, who are skeptical about intentions of people like Eriya Kategaya, Pulkol and Bidandi Ssali, who until recently, have been influential in Movement politics. Some of these are accused of masterminding violence against opposition in the past.
Reform Agenda (RA) has also not been welcoming to the new Movement dissidents. Some RA officials have been openly hostile. There are accusations that some of these personalities betrayed Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye by encouraging him to run in the 2001 presidential elections, but later turning round and campaigning for Museveni. One of Besigye’s advantages was that while in the Constituent Assembly, he cultivated contacts with opposition politicians. Besigye and DP chief Paul Ssemogerere had worked in the Internal Affairs ministry. His wife, Winnie Byanyima, is daughter of DP chairperson, Mzee Boniface Byanyima. Through these contacts, Besigye rallied the support of old political forces. They believed that Besigye was a perfect match for Museveni because he was a retired army officer. Pulkol does not have these advantages.
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Ruzindana, Maj. General Mugisha Muntu, Amanya Mushega, Maj. John Kazoora and Capt. David Guma are from Ankole. Pulkol’s emergence is a real blessing to Pafo. But Pulkol would face a lot of odds should he decide to run for presidency. He would face an uphill task to win support from Karamoja’s neighbours, who have been victims of Karimojong cattle rustling. He would also have problems with mainstream opposition groups, the DP, UPC, CP and Justice Forum, who are skeptical about intentions of people like Eriya Kategaya, Pulkol and Bidandi Ssali, who until recently, have been influential in Movement politics. Some of these are accused of masterminding violence against opposition in the past.
Reform Agenda (RA) has also not been welcoming to the new Movement dissidents. Some RA officials have been openly hostile. There are accusations that some of these personalities betrayed Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye by encouraging him to run in the 2001 presidential elections, but later turning round and campaigning for Museveni. One of Besigye’s advantages was that while in the Constituent Assembly, he cultivated contacts with opposition politicians. Besigye and DP chief Paul Ssemogerere had worked in the Internal Affairs ministry. His wife, Winnie Byanyima, is daughter of DP chairperson, Mzee Boniface Byanyima. Through these contacts, Besigye rallied the support of old political forces. They believed that Besigye was a perfect match for Museveni because he was a retired army officer. Pulkol does not have these advantages.
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