Bukenya vows to give Museveni a run for his money come 2016

2016 presidential race. “We have always been endorsing one person as a presidential candidate. We have had elections for secretary general before but not a presidential candidate. If they cheat me, then I will quit and contest for president independently.”

Who are your army generals given that the army plays a big role in our politics?

Why should I have generals? I thought the army is a national army which is there to do its service for this country. I practice civil politics, they protect us and we make the decisions politically. I don’t like to hear this talk that a leader or president must have his generals, or his own army. That means we are going to have a lot of armies in this country and the country will never be secure.
The only thing we need to do is leave the generals alone, leave the army alone to play its national role and let politicians play their own role effectively.

After the death of your son, you said you would quit politics, what has happened?

I was saddened by the death of my son and the stories that went around. Now I want to make a contribution in honouring him by remaining in politics; by playing a very big active role to contribute to national development and change. So may have said it but now I am telling you I am effectively in politics. Whatever pressures that are taking place around me; I have seen what is in prison and now the only prison left is maybe someone putting the bullet in my head and I am ready for it for the sake of this country.

Talking about your late son (RIP), have you ever received a postmortem report detailing what killed him?

I have never received a postmortem report of my son. I have heard a lot of whispers about that postmortem but I have never been given a copy of the postmortem.

When you were jailed everybody expected you to come out and walkout of NRM but instead you walked in. What informed you mind?

I could not walk out of NRM party because when I went to jail, it was IGG vs me as an abuser of my office and when I went to the court, the judge, and I thank him, found there was no case to answer. Many people say it is the President who released me, which is not true.
My lawyers (Kabega and others) argued strongly, they interviewed every witness the IGG brought and they said Bukenya never participated in this and that and I have a copy of the ruling that indicated that Bukenya never abused office and played with Motorcare to sell vehicles to this country. I was very pleased with the ruling, it was not mercy, it was a judgemental ruling.
Obviously there are many people whom the system protected who should have gone through the same because the queries were in security, hotels, local government and those were the implementers but for me I was a political leader.

To some people, you are not clean because you have been cited in corruption scandals and other personal failings. What do you have to that?

Vendettas of some sorts are very difficult to fight. How many people dance with women? There are many politicians who dance with women and hug them. How many politicians have extra-marital relations with many women in this government? That vendetta does not worry me because the people of this country know what makes a leader of truth and what makes a leader who is a liar; who is not dependable.

You have been accused of meeting the Kabaka of Buganda at night and trying to promote Ganda nationalism. How do you respond to this?

Meeting my king either during the day or at night is not a crime. That is my first court of appeal. I am a Muganda and I support totally the kingdom of Buganda. But I am also a Ugandan and I support fully the different cultural institutions in the country.
However, all of us (cultural institutions) are aiming at the development of our country. This must be done without nepotism, tribal tendencies and with equitable distribution of resources. People must be selected on the best for the job basis.

At one point you complained about a mafia clique in cabinet, do you believe that mafia still exists?

When I complained, I was alone and I was battered. Today, there are many people who are saying what I said was true. I will never rest until I know why national leaders told the president that I went to Kanungu and Kabale mobilising only Catholics especially during the night to unseat the president from his chair.
That was a lie and somehow, maybe the President took it as the truth. I view this as an unfortunate thing for the President to be surrounded by self-seeking liars. Is that not being a mafia?
Two similar lies were communicated to the President that I was meeting the Cardinal at 2am in Rubaga and that I was meeting Baganda army generals. Two blatant lies and I think by the same mafia group.

Do you regret having been dropped as Vice President?

I don’t regret at all because officers must come and officers must go. I did my part and many Ugandans know. I suffered my fate for political responsibility and Ugandans know. There are a number of upheavals I am going through. For example I have never been given my constitutional benefit as a retired vice president and Ugandans know. I have had relentless investigations on my small hotel in Entebbe, my properties are being investigated and it is also well known. I hope even my political colleagues are ready for the same adventure.