Museveni Speaks Out on ‘Grooming Muhoozi’ Giles Muhame Brigadier Muhoozi (standing), also a paratrooper, points at paratroopers jumping from a plane at Nakasongola on Sunday. President Museveni Passed out 152 Paratroopers at Nakasongola Airbone School on 24/08/2009 President Museveni has described as “an insult” reports that he is grooming his son, who doubles as the Special Forces Commander, Brig Muhoozi Kainerugaba, to succeed him as Uganda’s leader, Chimp Corps report. “That is an insult to me,” charged Museveni while appearing on BBC Focus on Africa on Wednesday. “Why should I groom my son?” he wondered. The comments come amid a heated public debate on the NRM succession as President Museveni prepares to contest for his last term as President since 1986. The Uganda Constitution provides 75 as the age limit for presidential contestants. Museveni clocked 70 years in 2014. This implies that should he win the 2016 elections, the President will be 75 in 2019. He will not be eligible for the 2021 presidential race. This is why presidential hopefuls including Amama Mbabazi are clandestinely building grassroots networks to propel them to the highest political position in the land. Political observers say the 2021 polls could be the most captivating as Uganda will be headed for a transition of power after three decades of President Museveni’s leadership. Therefore, as the country prepares for Museveni’s last term, the opposition claim Museveni wants to see Muhoozi take over as President. Speaking to BBC, Museveni said Uganda is a democracy and that it does not believe in the notion of succession. “This is not a monarchy,” he emphasised. He also hammered his point home by revealing that, “My wife, against my advice joined politics and was elected; that’s what you call democracy, including disobeying husbands.” Janet Museveni is the MP for Ruhaama Constituency in Ntungamo District and Minister Karamoja Affairs. A Special Forces paratrooper landing from a plane during the passout at Nakasongola in 2009 Youth appeal to Muhoozi Just last week, a group of youth calling themselves Why Not Youth Pressure Group (WNPG) have been holding a series of activities, saying they are campaigning for Muhoozi to become president in 2021. On Friday, October 17, WNPG held its first seminar at Makerere University where police boss Gen Kale Kayihura gave a lecture on “The role of the youths in crime prevention and the fight against terror.” Youth were seen carrying placards, appealing to Muhoozi to contest for presidency. At a rugby match in Kampala in 2010, hundreds of youth urged him to stand for president, saying he would fully attend to their challenges such as unemployment. On Monday evening, Brig. Muhoozi said in statement signed by the Special Forces Spokesperson, Maj Chris Magezi that the elite forces’ commander “has never met or interacted with any of them (youth) and therefore the views and opinions they have been propagating are solely their own.” Nevertheless, Muhoozi expressed gratitude to the youth for showing trust in him as their potential leader. “However if these youth groups are merely fans of Brig. Muhoozi, then he deeply appreciates their support and feels honoured by their confidence in him,” said Magezi. “The youth groups are discussing political issues, which as civilians they are entitled to but Brig. Muhoozi has no intention to enter political activity for the foreseeable future.” Magezi said as Muhoozi has “stated on several occasions when he is no longer a serving soldier in the UPDF he will make his decision about serving his country in other fields.” Meanwhile, asked on whether he will seek another term in office, Museveni told BBC: “That’s for the party to decide. It’s what my party wants and what the country needs.” Regarding the sacking of Mbabazi, Museveni was evasive: “Who told you that I sacked Mbabazi? I only appointed a new prime minister”.
Posted on: Thu, 23 Oct 2014 07:49:51 +0000
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