Museveni best bet in 2016 general elections

Nov 12, 2015

The incumbent, President Museveni, is now the undisputed flag-bearer of the Ruling Party, the NRM, which the people say should have changed its name to the National Liberation Movement because we are not resisting anything now after 29 years and the NRA changed its name to UPDF.

By Kavuma – Kaggwa

Ugandans are now gearing up for the 2016 Uganda general elections, which will take place on February 18, 2016.


The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), the political parties, the Police and the entire security system are all well set for the general Elections.

Ugandans expect that by this time next year, they will have a different Parliament composed of people who will steer this Country to a greater future in all areas of life.

The incumbent, President Museveni, is now the undisputed flag-bearer of the Ruling Party, the NRM, which the people say should have changed its name to the National Liberation Movement because we are not resisting anything now after 29 years and the NRA changed its name to UPDF.
 
For the first time in his political career since 1986, this is the first time for President Museveni to have a much more serious political challenge to his Leadership like the one he is facing now in the 2016 general elections.
 
President Museveni is being challenged by five people in the political race to capture power in 2016 and occupy the most prestigious house in Uganda, State House, Entebbe.

Three of the five are from Western Uganda and they are; Dr. Kizza Besigye, Hon. Amama Mbabazi and Prof. Vernasius Baryamureeba.

The two from Buganda are; Dr. Abed Bwanika leader of the People’s Development Party, PDP, and Mabiriizi.
 
However, looking at the entire political picture of Uganda, I strongly believe that President Museveni is the best bet in the 2016 general elections.
 
It is a natural reaction all over the world that general elections in the country excite everybody. It is only comparable to your country reaching the World Cup final, for example Uganda playing Brazil or England or Ghana.

During the time approaching the World Cup final, each citizen will try to show that he/she knows a lot about football.
 
It is the same thing during the time of general elections. Right now, everywhere in Uganda every citizen talks a lot to show that he/she knows quite a lot or is very knowledgeable about politics.
 
The way Amama Mbabazi has emerged to be the most serious challenger to President Museveni has really surprised people. It has reminded me of the two famous Roman sayings that - “Nobody knows what will happen tomorrow” and the second one is that – “No one is secure in this World” (nemo secures in Latin).
 
Politicians also say – “There is no permanent friend and there is no permanent enemy in politics but there are permanent interests”. They also add on that – “A week in politics is a very long time”
 
Nobody knew that Amama Mbabazi who was so close to President Museveni for almost 40 years, would one day challenge President Museveni.

It is also said that Amama Mbabazi has done what the Kenyan politicians do during the time of general elections. They “pour money”. Amama Mbabazi has allegedly “poured money” among the people everywhere in Uganda to seek their vote but we shall wait and see.
 
There is also another saying that “history repeats itself”. When the political euphoria for the 2016 general elections started during the month of September, I was surprised to see the Baganda repeating what they did in 1962.

In 1962, they sidelined and ignored their fellow Muganda, Benedicto Kiwanuka for religious reasons and they made a political alliance with Milton Obote, who had shrewdly emerged on the political scene with plans to take power.
 
There was a time just before September, when the Baganda seemed to be in favour of sponsoring Erias Lukwago, or one of the two other Baganda, Prof. Gilbert Bukenya and Dr. Abed Bwanika.

Right now, the Baganda who have been complaining that the Westerners have ruled them for a very long time, have now completely ignored Erias Lukwago, Dr. Abed Bwanika and Prof. Gilbert Bukenya. Nobody is talking about them.
 
Surprisingly, Prof. Gilbert Bukenya, realising that he was heading nowhere within the Opposition, pulled out and announced that he had gone back to NRM and that he will fully support and work with President Museveni so that he (President Museveni) wins the 2016 general elections.
 
People in Buganda are now singing the song of supporting Amama Mbabazi and they are saying – “let us support this man Mbabazi who can help us remove President Museveni”.

Like in 1962, when the Baganda gave Obote the name of Bwete, this time around I have heard some Baganda speaking on the FM Radio stations saying that; “Amama Mbabazi is now called Mbazira of the Bird Clan in Buganda”.

I pray that in 2021, which will be the year of big political changes in this country, we shall do the right thing in Buganda because we have five years to prepare ourselves.

Putting that aside, why do we elect a leader?

Ugandans do not elect a leader just for the sake of leadership. They elect a person who will develop their country economically, educationally, socially and who will provide adequate health care for them all the time.
 
President Museveni who has led this country for 29 years, is probably seeking leadership for the last time.

Ugandans expect him to be the first Ugandan leader since independence to hand over power ceremoniously to another democratically elected leader in 2021.
 
With all that, the people of Uganda will always remember President Museveni for so many good things he has done since 1986, but most outstanding they will remember him for restoring the Buganda Kingdom on July 31, 1993 at Naggalabi, Budo.

The other Kingdoms and Cultural Institutions in Uganda were also restored. They will also remember him for the great economic transformation which has been made since 1986 to 2015.
 
The people of Uganda have made this great economic transformation because of the 29 years of the steady political stability.

This transformation is the real fundamental change which President Museveni talked about on January 29, 1986 when he was swearing in outside Parliament as the 9th President since Independence.  He took power after the NRM/NRA successfully fought a five-year guerilla war in Luwero Triangle from 1981 to 1986.

The economic setback and political instability came as a result of May 24,1966 Buganda Crisis which eventually plunged the whole country into a 20-year period of undemocratic rule, military coups, abolition of the Kingdoms, people going into exile in different countries and all kinds of social and economic suffering.

During the 20 years of undemocratic rule and all kinds of social suffering, Uganda became a unique country in such a way that in East and Central Africa, it was the only country which had nine presidents since independence compared to the other countries which had three or four Presidents.

The Countries in East and Central Africa achieved Independence almost at the same time.
 
Again during that period, there was no peaceful change of Government, because five Presidents out of the nine came into power unceremoniously with “gunfire” behind them and also five of the nine went out of power unceremoniously with “gunfire” behind them.
 
I remember Ugandans used to import all the essential commodities from Kenya.  Kenya was reported to be earning Ksh3b every month out of the various goods sold to Uganda.  Some of that trade was through the “black market” which was popularly known as “magendo”. 

The town of Busia at the Uganda/Kenya border grew up because of trade between the two neighbouring Countries.
Today, because of the high rate of industrialisation in Uganda and the wonderful hard work by all Ugandans to develop their country,   that figure of Ksh3b has greatly reduced.

By 1986, when NRM took power, the government had a total of 146 state owned enterprises with 138 the majority holding and eight minority state holding.

Most of the 146 state owned enterprises existed only in the register and most performed poorly as a result of the country’s violent political history and collapsed economy. 

They suffered from low capacity utilisation, large operating loses or low profitability and being illiquid and indebted.

Before privatisation, and with the exception of 1988, the financial performance of joint venture companies returned an operating loss of sh72m ($36,000) between 1986 and 1988.  Most were insolvent, illiquid and operating below 50% capacity.
Today, the Government is fostering an open trade policy intended to eradicate poverty.  The Government is also determined to modernise the health sector and transform the hospital referral system.

Right now, a major renovation and modernisation project is being carried out on Mulago hospital and it is expected that within one or two years from now, Mulago will be an ultramodern hospital offering highly specialised treatment and services. 

At that time, there will be no need for Ugandans to go overseas for specialised treatment.

In the area of Agriculture, it is most gratifying that the Government, together with Ugandans, is all out to boost the Coffee sector for Uganda’s Economic Growth.

The traditional Coffee growing areas in Uganda were Buganda, Bugisu and Ankole but now Coffee is also grown in Busoga, Acholi and West Nile. 

This country was built on Coffee and Cotton right from the British Colonial times up to independence and thereafter.

Coffee is Uganda’s main cash crop and earned this country about $415m for the period between April, 2013 and March,2014 according to the Uganda Coffee Development Authority, UCDA.

We all know that Coffee, for many years and currently is the most widely traded tropic agricultural commodity for Uganda as a major foreign exchange earner as well as providing income for over two million households.

Given the social and economic importance of Coffee in Uganda, the policies must be critically intensified.
 
I believe it will be an excellent policy for President Museveni to make State visits every year to the US, Canada, UK, Germany, Sweden, France, Italy, Russia, China, Japan, India, South Korea, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Israel,

Australia, South Africa, and North African Countries, urging them to buy Uganda’s Coffee.

The writer is an elder from Kyaggwe

 

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