FDC rubbishes military coup projections

By Jeff Andrew Lule

KAMPALA - The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party has rubbished the projected military coup talks by the army chief and defence minister as a tactical move to block people from expressing their views.

The party boss and former army commander, Maj Gen. Mugisha Muntu said this is only meant to intimidate Ugandans to stop them from exercising their freedom of expression and demonstration.

“It is unreasonable for a person to start projecting the likelihood of a coup in this country. It is just a tactic by the NRM leadership to silence our Members of Parliament and other political actors.

“For real it would be foolish for any educated officer to think of overthrowing the government,” Muntu told journalist at the party headquarters.

He was reacting to media reports where the army Chief Defence Forces (CDF), Gen. Aronda Nyakairima warned politicians not to take the country back to the past era of political turmoil.

Aronda's comments followed a recent statement by the defence minister Dr. Crispus Kiyonga who cautioned MPs to desist from a conduct that undermines the public confidence in the legislature and can cause the army to intervene and take over government.

Muntu said the sentiments, in his own opinion, are simply another strategy to control Parliament.

He reasoned that is so since it had become more relevant to the concerns of the people through highlighting the failures of the government to address the problems of the country.

“I think the President saw he was losing power over Parliament and now he is using this move to manipulate power.

“Of course change is inevitable if nothing is done to address the challenges facing the country but not through a coup.

“It is unreasonable if someone condemns corruption and you characterize it as causing confusion,” said the opposition leader.