Gen. Muntu warns military coup advocates

Opposition Forum for Democratic Change president Gen. Mugisha Muntu Thursday dismissed recent talk  by the army  leadership that the likelihood of a military coup is real  as a “psychological warfare and a tactic by President Museveni to intimidate an assertive parliament and political actors”.

Addressing a press conference at the FDC headquarters at  Najjanakumbi, Kampala, Gen Muntu warned that “it would not only be foolish but stupid and counterproductive for any educated officer to be tempted to think of overthrowing the government.”

“Personally, I think it [the threat of an army takeover] is a tactic to intimidate Parliament for it to check itself. President Museveni has realised that he has lost control over the party and he knows that if he loses control over Parliament, he will lose whatever means he has been using to manipulate power,” Gen. Muntu said.

Gen. Muntu who served as army commander for almost a decade said:  “The regime in a state of free-fall and the military must start engaging in scenario building because there is an inevitable change that is coming and the [military] institution should not be taken by surprise.”

He said that when members of parliament rise up in a bipartisan effort to demand a stop to the cancer of corruption, their effort cannot be characterised as confusion,”

President Museveni was recently quoted as having told a retreat of the ruling National Resistance Movement MPs in Kyankwanzi that the army would not allow the persistent “confusion” in Parliament.

The sentiments ware later echoed by Defence Minister Dr Crispus Kiyonga who said that the army was watching and could take over if politicians in parliament “continue not showing seriousness that they can solve the problems” facing the country.

The Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Aronda Nyakairima, on Wednesday  suggested that the message of the duo “was deliberately sent out.”