Kenyans react to Museveni, Besigye contest
THIRTY out of 50 Kenyans interviewed in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kakamega, Malaba, Bungoma and Kisumu, want President Yoweri Museveni to carry the day.
By Reuben Olita
in Nairobi
THIRTY out of 50 Kenyans interviewed in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kakamega, Malaba, Bungoma and Kisumu, want President Yoweri Museveni to carry the day.
Fifteen, or 38%, want FDC’s Kiiza Besigye. Five were non-committal.
The president elections are due this Thursday. It will be the first multiparty election since the Movement captured power in 1986.
A Nairobi newspaper vendor, Stephen Mangira, warned Ugandans against voting out Museveni for the sake of change.
Mangira said Museveni was still young and able to steer Uganda to greater heights.
A Mombasa businessman, Julius Isiepai, said Uganda’s gains in education, economy, political, social empowerment and women emancipation could not be matched by any leader in the region.
Isiepai said reports that NRM had already secured 16 parliamentary seats unopposed manifested its popularity.
Businessman Sammy Makokha Musamali said Museveni brought inflation to a single digit with enough food that was now feeding parts of Kenya to confirm his position as the best Ugandan president.
A former Malaba United football club player, Evans Papai, said chaos that was once the order of the day in Uganda was dead owing to Museveni’s efforts.
George Egwasat of the Nation Media Group said Museveni was most popular among the five presidential candidates and his role in IGAD was still needed to steer the Great Lakes Region to stability.
But a Nairobi psychologist, Leonard Simiyu, said Museveni pretends to be a statesman when in reality he is not. “He should provide an example by quitting after two constitutional terms like retired President Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania but instead he chose to cling to power against Ugandans’ wishes,†he said.
A Kisumu fishmonger, Alice Achieng, said Uganda security had made her life on Lake Victoria hell and it was time for Besigye to take over to save Kenyan fishermen.
A Bungoma insurance officer, Joseph Malala, said Besigye had the ability to lead Uganda to prosperity, adding that his credentials would help improve Uganda’s economy.
Malala said Museveni had ruled for 20 years yet he failed to contain insurgency in northern Uganda, and that new blood was needed. A Sudanese refugee in Kenya, Were War Jok, said Museveni had ruled long enough and it was time to go.
in Nairobi
THIRTY out of 50 Kenyans interviewed in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kakamega, Malaba, Bungoma and Kisumu, want President Yoweri Museveni to carry the day.
Fifteen, or 38%, want FDC’s Kiiza Besigye. Five were non-committal.
The president elections are due this Thursday. It will be the first multiparty election since the Movement captured power in 1986.
A Nairobi newspaper vendor, Stephen Mangira, warned Ugandans against voting out Museveni for the sake of change.
Mangira said Museveni was still young and able to steer Uganda to greater heights.
A Mombasa businessman, Julius Isiepai, said Uganda’s gains in education, economy, political, social empowerment and women emancipation could not be matched by any leader in the region.
Isiepai said reports that NRM had already secured 16 parliamentary seats unopposed manifested its popularity.
Businessman Sammy Makokha Musamali said Museveni brought inflation to a single digit with enough food that was now feeding parts of Kenya to confirm his position as the best Ugandan president.
A former Malaba United football club player, Evans Papai, said chaos that was once the order of the day in Uganda was dead owing to Museveni’s efforts.
George Egwasat of the Nation Media Group said Museveni was most popular among the five presidential candidates and his role in IGAD was still needed to steer the Great Lakes Region to stability.
But a Nairobi psychologist, Leonard Simiyu, said Museveni pretends to be a statesman when in reality he is not. “He should provide an example by quitting after two constitutional terms like retired President Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania but instead he chose to cling to power against Ugandans’ wishes,†he said.
A Kisumu fishmonger, Alice Achieng, said Uganda security had made her life on Lake Victoria hell and it was time for Besigye to take over to save Kenyan fishermen.
A Bungoma insurance officer, Joseph Malala, said Besigye had the ability to lead Uganda to prosperity, adding that his credentials would help improve Uganda’s economy.
Malala said Museveni had ruled for 20 years yet he failed to contain insurgency in northern Uganda, and that new blood was needed. A Sudanese refugee in Kenya, Were War Jok, said Museveni had ruled long enough and it was time to go.