Muntu lacks support from army â€" Besigye
Apr 07, 2010
MAJOR Gen. Mugisha Muntu cannot woo support from the army if elected the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) flag-bearer for the 2011 general elections, the president of the party, Kizza Besigye, has said.
By Frederick Kiwanuka
MAJOR Gen. Mugisha Muntu cannot woo support from the army if elected the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) flag-bearer for the 2011 general elections, the president of the party, Kizza Besigye, has said.
Muntu, a former UPDF commander, is contesting for party presidency with Besigye. “Those who reject me will reject him as well. If anything, he would be at a disadvantage because he might have clashed with some officers when he was army commander,†Besigye said.
He was addressing FDC leaders and delegates from Luweero, Nakaseke and Nakasongola districts on Monday at the Luweero district headquarters.
Besigye said UPDF commanders are mere ‘salary earners’ with no influence in the army, adding that President Yoweri Museveni controls the army.
“Museveni is actually the army commander with may be Salim Saleh and Kainerugaba Muhoozi acting as his second in charge. The rest are mere salary earners,†he said, citing former army commanders like Jeje Odongo and Muntu.
Besigye said when Muntu was army commander, most of the forces were under the Gulu 4th Division where Tinyefuza had more control than him.
Urging the FDC leaders to vote him, Besigye said it was too late for his rival to build the trust, which he has built over time.
“He says he wants to build on what I have achieved. But peoples’ trust does not come on silver plate. You need to have worked for it over time. It is too late for him to reach all corners of the country to build the trust,†Besigye said.
He urged party members to stand for various positions, form and train grassroots committees to check rigging at the polling stations.
MAJOR Gen. Mugisha Muntu cannot woo support from the army if elected the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) flag-bearer for the 2011 general elections, the president of the party, Kizza Besigye, has said.
Muntu, a former UPDF commander, is contesting for party presidency with Besigye. “Those who reject me will reject him as well. If anything, he would be at a disadvantage because he might have clashed with some officers when he was army commander,†Besigye said.
He was addressing FDC leaders and delegates from Luweero, Nakaseke and Nakasongola districts on Monday at the Luweero district headquarters.
Besigye said UPDF commanders are mere ‘salary earners’ with no influence in the army, adding that President Yoweri Museveni controls the army.
“Museveni is actually the army commander with may be Salim Saleh and Kainerugaba Muhoozi acting as his second in charge. The rest are mere salary earners,†he said, citing former army commanders like Jeje Odongo and Muntu.
Besigye said when Muntu was army commander, most of the forces were under the Gulu 4th Division where Tinyefuza had more control than him.
Urging the FDC leaders to vote him, Besigye said it was too late for his rival to build the trust, which he has built over time.
“He says he wants to build on what I have achieved. But peoples’ trust does not come on silver plate. You need to have worked for it over time. It is too late for him to reach all corners of the country to build the trust,†Besigye said.
He urged party members to stand for various positions, form and train grassroots committees to check rigging at the polling stations.