Otunnu ends western tour with plot to kick out Museveni
THE Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) members in Bushenyi district have asked the former UN diplomat, Olara Otunnu, to stand for the party’s presidency and contest the 2011 presidential elections.
By Chris Ahimbisibwe
THE Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) members in Bushenyi district have asked the former UN diplomat, Olara Otunnu, to stand for the party’s presidency and contest the 2011 presidential elections.
Otunnu was in the district on Tuesday as part of his country-wide tour.
Eliab Kanyamuhanga, the former Kyabugimbi sub-county LC3 chairman and a staunch UPC supporter, said the party was still popular and strong in the district.
“UPC is still strong in Bushenyi as it used to be and on a strong note we welcome you as a firebrand in the awakening of the party,†said Kanyamuhanga.
Kanyamuhanga added that UPC needed re-organisation and mobilisation in order to become competitive. “As we prepare for the 2011 elections, you have to plan how we can bring back our members,†he said.
Kanyamuhanga added that some UPC members joined NRM out of fear, adding that if UPC got a good leader, they would come back.
Otunnu said he had come to visit Mary Tiberondwa, the wife of the late UPC stalwart Adonia Tiberondwa, whom he said mentored him.. Otunnu also said when he was in exile, he read a number of malicious stories which described UPC as a dead party.
“I could not believe because I knew UPC was still vibrant,†he noted.
“Museveni never wanted me to criticise him, that is why he denied me a passport and calls me a non-Ugandan,†Otunnu said.
He said Museveni sent him several delegations to convince him to join NRM , promising him ministerial and vice-president positions if he came back but he rejected the offer.
Otunnu said he had not seen anything new built by the NRM Government.
“Worse than that, Museveni has dismantled what was put in place by UPC. He has failed to make any improvement on them,†he noted.
Otunnu said he was shocked and humiliated by the levels of poverty and corruption in the country.
He said leaders in the current government had concentrated on accumulating personal wealth instead of serving the people.
“In order to realise the change we want, UPC as a party must unite with other parties under one umbrella for one task of defeating Museveni in the coming elections,†Otunnu advised.
He described FDC President Kizza Besigye as a brave man.
Otunnu was in exile for about 23 years.
THE Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) members in Bushenyi district have asked the former UN diplomat, Olara Otunnu, to stand for the party’s presidency and contest the 2011 presidential elections.
Otunnu was in the district on Tuesday as part of his country-wide tour.
Eliab Kanyamuhanga, the former Kyabugimbi sub-county LC3 chairman and a staunch UPC supporter, said the party was still popular and strong in the district.
“UPC is still strong in Bushenyi as it used to be and on a strong note we welcome you as a firebrand in the awakening of the party,†said Kanyamuhanga.
Kanyamuhanga added that UPC needed re-organisation and mobilisation in order to become competitive. “As we prepare for the 2011 elections, you have to plan how we can bring back our members,†he said.
Kanyamuhanga added that some UPC members joined NRM out of fear, adding that if UPC got a good leader, they would come back.
Otunnu said he had come to visit Mary Tiberondwa, the wife of the late UPC stalwart Adonia Tiberondwa, whom he said mentored him.. Otunnu also said when he was in exile, he read a number of malicious stories which described UPC as a dead party.
“I could not believe because I knew UPC was still vibrant,†he noted.
“Museveni never wanted me to criticise him, that is why he denied me a passport and calls me a non-Ugandan,†Otunnu said.
He said Museveni sent him several delegations to convince him to join NRM , promising him ministerial and vice-president positions if he came back but he rejected the offer.
Otunnu said he had not seen anything new built by the NRM Government.
“Worse than that, Museveni has dismantled what was put in place by UPC. He has failed to make any improvement on them,†he noted.
Otunnu said he was shocked and humiliated by the levels of poverty and corruption in the country.
He said leaders in the current government had concentrated on accumulating personal wealth instead of serving the people.
“In order to realise the change we want, UPC as a party must unite with other parties under one umbrella for one task of defeating Museveni in the coming elections,†Otunnu advised.
He described FDC President Kizza Besigye as a brave man.
Otunnu was in exile for about 23 years.