Mutale out of order â€" Museveni
Jul 12, 2005
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni yesterday launched his campaign for the ‘Yes’ side to change from Movement to the multiparty political system in the July 28 referendum.
By Alfred Wasike and Hamis Kaheru
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni yesterday launched his campaign for the ‘Yes’ side to change from Movement to the multiparty political system in the July 28 referendum.
He described his political adviser, Maj. Kakooza Mutale, who is campaigning for the ‘No’ side, as “out of date.â€
Museveni was addressing a press conference at State House, Nakasero. The three-hour event was broadcast live on Radio Uganda.
He said Mutale was still living in the Luweero war days where political commissars used to go out talking to villagers.
“He doesn’t know that amendments have been made to the law. Now things have changed. We are not allowing people who are still in the army to express their opinions publicly on anything,†he said.
“Technically and substantially, Mutale is out of order and we shall sort it out.â€
However, he said it was more important to deal with the substance of Mutale’s message by justifying the return to multipartyism.
He said under the multiparty system, the Movement would be able to get rid of saboteurs and attain internal cohesion.
He said getting rid of uncommitted Movementists resulted in Parliament accepting the referendum, the regional tier and the second reading of the ‘Kisanja’ Bill.
He said internal saboteurs had cost Government money and time by delaying the construction of Bujagali hydro-power plant and sale of Uganda Airlines, and sabotaging NEC pharmaceuticals.
Museveni said multipartyism would enable those who persistently voted against the Movement to organise independently.
“Although 76% voted me in 1996, what do you do with the 24%? They are also Ugandans. There are people who have refused to be with us. For how long are we going to wrestle with them?†he asked.
He said the principle of democracy that the minority must submit to the majority did not apply in all situations.
He said multipartyism would also deny the opposition a chance to tarnish Uganda’s image abroad.
Museveni said he would address rallies upcountry and go on radios to campaign for the ‘Yes’ in local languages. He criticised the six opposition parties (G6) for boycotting the referendum.
“In 2000 they boycotted but we got five million votes. This boycott is of no consequence.â€
On whether he would stand for re-election next year, he said the issue was whether people had power to vote in leaders or vote them out.
He was asked whether the time left to May 2006 was enough to finish his programmes since it was the reason he gave in 2001 to ask for another term.
“I will account when the time comes. But using mental work, we have done quite well, like professionalising the army,†he said.
He denied jailed former UPDF MP, Brig. Henry Tumukunde’s claims that he forced him to resign.
“That is absolute rubbish. I simply called and advised him that he was representing himself and not the army in Parliament. He was recalled by the Army Council and not me,†Museveni said.
Tumukunde, who was one of the 10 UPDF MPs, was arrested last month for uttering statements in contravention of the army regulations. He is being detained at the army officers’ mess in Kololo.
Museveni said, “By the way, if he had not resigned, he would have been voted out by his constituency. He is a very good experiment of when an MP does not represent his constituents and instead represents himself, should be recalled or voted out.â€
“If Tumukunde was a person of honour, he should have resigned by himself the moment his constituents complained but he did not,†he said.
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni yesterday launched his campaign for the ‘Yes’ side to change from Movement to the multiparty political system in the July 28 referendum.
He described his political adviser, Maj. Kakooza Mutale, who is campaigning for the ‘No’ side, as “out of date.â€
Museveni was addressing a press conference at State House, Nakasero. The three-hour event was broadcast live on Radio Uganda.
He said Mutale was still living in the Luweero war days where political commissars used to go out talking to villagers.
“He doesn’t know that amendments have been made to the law. Now things have changed. We are not allowing people who are still in the army to express their opinions publicly on anything,†he said.
“Technically and substantially, Mutale is out of order and we shall sort it out.â€
However, he said it was more important to deal with the substance of Mutale’s message by justifying the return to multipartyism.
He said under the multiparty system, the Movement would be able to get rid of saboteurs and attain internal cohesion.
He said getting rid of uncommitted Movementists resulted in Parliament accepting the referendum, the regional tier and the second reading of the ‘Kisanja’ Bill.
He said internal saboteurs had cost Government money and time by delaying the construction of Bujagali hydro-power plant and sale of Uganda Airlines, and sabotaging NEC pharmaceuticals.
Museveni said multipartyism would enable those who persistently voted against the Movement to organise independently.
“Although 76% voted me in 1996, what do you do with the 24%? They are also Ugandans. There are people who have refused to be with us. For how long are we going to wrestle with them?†he asked.
He said the principle of democracy that the minority must submit to the majority did not apply in all situations.
He said multipartyism would also deny the opposition a chance to tarnish Uganda’s image abroad.
Museveni said he would address rallies upcountry and go on radios to campaign for the ‘Yes’ in local languages. He criticised the six opposition parties (G6) for boycotting the referendum.
“In 2000 they boycotted but we got five million votes. This boycott is of no consequence.â€
On whether he would stand for re-election next year, he said the issue was whether people had power to vote in leaders or vote them out.
He was asked whether the time left to May 2006 was enough to finish his programmes since it was the reason he gave in 2001 to ask for another term.
“I will account when the time comes. But using mental work, we have done quite well, like professionalising the army,†he said.
He denied jailed former UPDF MP, Brig. Henry Tumukunde’s claims that he forced him to resign.
“That is absolute rubbish. I simply called and advised him that he was representing himself and not the army in Parliament. He was recalled by the Army Council and not me,†Museveni said.
Tumukunde, who was one of the 10 UPDF MPs, was arrested last month for uttering statements in contravention of the army regulations. He is being detained at the army officers’ mess in Kololo.
Museveni said, “By the way, if he had not resigned, he would have been voted out by his constituency. He is a very good experiment of when an MP does not represent his constituents and instead represents himself, should be recalled or voted out.â€
“If Tumukunde was a person of honour, he should have resigned by himself the moment his constituents complained but he did not,†he said.