BESIGYE WARNED ON AMAMA, SEJUSA DEAL

By STEVEN ARIONG

Moroto.

Supporters of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) in Karamoja sub-region have warned the party against rushing to embrace former prime minister Amama Mbabazi.

The supporters also warned that the former coordinator of Intelligence Services, Gen David Sejusa, and Mr Mbabazi could be NRM moles on a mission to destroy the Opposition.

They sounded the warning during Moroto District party’s delegates meeting with aspiring FDC party presidential flag bearer in the 2016 elections Kizza Besigye on Wednesday. 
Mr John Ilukol, the FDC youth mobiliser in Napak District, said although The Democratic Alliance (TDA) was open to receiving the two former allies of President Museveni, “we are convinced that they are still in NRM and their intention is to weaken the Opposition”.

“You have seen how the two people, Mr Mbabazi and Gen Sejusa, were instrumental in destroying the FDC in the past elections by rigging, torturing Opposition supporters with the hope to destroy it but they failed. Now they are using a new tactic of joining Opposition to destroy more,” he said.

Ms Rose Cheptei, the FDC mobiliser in Amudat District, said precaution must be taken if at all the two former NRM leaders are to be embraced.

In his response, Dr Besigye acknowledged the concern, saying the TDA was taking its time to ensure that they do not make a mistake before inviting the two to join the coalition.

However, in response to the allegations that Mr Mbabazi is an NRM mole, Ms Josephine Mayanja Nkanji, his press secretary, told Daily Monitor by telephone on Thursday: “People are entitled to say what they want. That’s the beauty of democracy. These were the people speaking to their leader, the person they want. Even when what they are saying is not true, they are entitled to their opinion.”

Dr Besigye urged the Opposition supporters to work hard as a team and take advantage of the confusion in NRM to take over power.

“Lets us take advantage of the current confusion in NRM and we design strategies to take over power from them,” he said.
Mr Mbabazi, who has declared that he will contest for presidency outside NRM, has given a hint on the possibility of working with TDA.

He sent his sister-in-law Hope Mwesigye to represent him at the TDA meeting before he made public his presidential ambitions in June.

However, Gen Sejusa, who has been associating with the Opposition, particularly the Democratic Party ever since he returned from exile in London, has never been retired from the army.

Addressing a rally in Moroto Municipality on Wednesday, Dr Besigye said President Museveni is only waiting to be forced out of power like the previous Ugandan presidents.
The former FDC president said Uganda as a country has never had any peaceful handover of power.

“This is the reason as to why Mr Museveni has refused to hand over power peacefully. He wants to face the same wrath like the previous leaders, but this he will get soon,” he said.
“...That’s why I call Museveni Mr Museveni not president Museveni because he never went through free and fair elections that can accord him this respect,” he said.

But deputy NRM secretary general Richard Todwong recently told Daily Monitor that NRM is like a bus; when it reaches a stage, some jump out and new passengers jump in and the bus continues.
“NRM has become stronger and is gaining ground than before. The departure of Mr Mbabazi will not split the party as it is alleged,” he said.

Mr Todwong cited examples of leaders that have left the NRM party “but it has remained strong and solid”.

Dr Besigye also asked residents not to bow before Museveni saying (he) should be the one to bow before Ugandans because its Ugandans paying for his salaries and buying him posh cars using the taxes that Ugandans pay.

CREDIT: DAILY MONITOR