Friday 29 January 2016

WHY DOESN'T PRESIDENT MUSEVENI KEEP HIS WORD HENCE CHANGE POSITIONS?





WHEN A LEADER KEEPS SHIFTING POSITIONS, IT BECOMES A MORAL QUESTION.
1) Why Museveni could not quit at 55 years

The Monitor Saturday, December 23, 2000 reported Ofwono – Opondo’s article in response to the Monitor, July 21, 1995 in which an article: “Museveni to Quit at 55 years,” was carried.
Opondo said, “It is important to note that President Museveni has repeatedly expressed his wish to retire from National Leadership once there is political stability in the country. Secondly, Museveni could have made the remarks in light of the then prevailing 1967 Constitution and the debates in the Constituent Assembly at that time. At the time of Museveni’s alleged promise to quit, the new Constitution was not yet in place. Today (December 2000) Museveni is seeking re – election for his last term under a known and clear Constitutional framework. Opondo further said, “Political leadership especially at the Presidency was not a fashion show that is changed merely because it has stayed on stage for some time. Serious and committed leaders acquire and retain power for specific national objectives which they are duty bound to accomplish or at least consolidate in their life time.”
2) President and tenure in office: Museveni – When I step down from Presidency
The East African of March 22 – 28, 1999 reported in an interview that President Museveni had for the 1st time put a timeframe to his departure from the leadership of Uganda – he hoped to retire at 61, which by then was 7 years ahead. The President said he planned to retire when he was still “young and reasonable.” “I ‘m now 54, with two years to finish this term. If I get another term of 5 years, I’ll be 61 at the end of it. That would be good time to go and look after my cow.”
The President was asked whether Uganda can sustain the costs of the conflicts it was involved in – the President said, “We operate cheaply. We are not Europeans and we don’t eat chocolates. Arms are not all that costly. What is expensive is transport, fuel. You can support a soldier on $150 a month. Salary and food for say 20,000 soldiers comes to about $3million. Given what is at stake, that is not such a large amount of money.
Asked about whether he would seek re – election – President Museveni answered, “Uganda’s Constitution says that a President can only have two consecutive terms. If I were to seek re – election it would only be for one more term.”
3) Yoweri Kaguta Museveni: 2001 Election Manifesto – Consolidating the Achievements of the Movement
Under President Museveni’s leadership, the Movement system of Governance has helped Uganda reverse the effects of more that two decades of Political turmoil. The country has achieved unity, peace, stability and economic growth. The Movement system means pluralism - in – unity, in other words, pluralism without factionalism. If there is political harmony for long enough, based on all – inclusive national organizational structures, democracy will be achieved without the risk of unhealthy polarizations. This will give the country time to develop a healthy foundation for multi – partyism in the future. When President Museveni completes his second and final term as directly elected President, the Movement, under his leadership, will, for the 1st time in history of our country, have created a legacy of an orderly leadership succession.
Page 11 of the 2001 Election Manifesto:
I am once again offering myself to serve the people of Uganda because of my conviction that, together with you, we still have a mission to accomplish. I am taking on the challenge of contesting for a last Presidential term for the following reasons:
a. Consolidating the work of building a professional army;
b. Consolidating our gains in the economy, in infrastructure reconstruction and development;
c. Consolidating our gains in democratization and putting in place mechanisms for an orderly leadership succession; and
d. Making a contribution to the process of creating a vibrant regional market and penetrating the global market under the World Trade Organisation.

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