Kayihura won’t stop Mbale meet, says Mbabazi

Kampala-The police had by yesterday not responded to a last-ditch request for a meeting with Amama Mbabazi’s camp who had reached out in a bid to stave off a likely show-down when the former premier holds his first consultative meeting in Mbale District on Thursday.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Gen Kale Kayihura’s non-response to the appeal for a sit-down at 2:30pm was interpreted by a police spokesperson to mean that there is nothing to discuss with the presidential aspirant.

The former prime minister promised to proceed with the Mbale meeting regardless, although he still held out hope for a meeting, if for nothing else but to bring down the political temperature.

“Am I going to Mbale (on Thursday)? Of course, I am going,” he said at a media briefing yesterday. “The IGP cannot lawfully stop me. He may put a mamba (armoured vehicle) at my gate, may be. If he puts a mamba, I will jump over it.”

On July 2, a counsel representing Mr Mbabazi wrote to the IGP observing that: “In view of the conflicting interpretations of the law, we believe that it is imperative to meet with you to harmonise the position of the law for the mutual benefit of all stakeholders in the electoral process.”

The Electoral Commission (EC), ruling NRM and police feel his planned consultative meetings are illegal because the party has not blessed his aspirations.

Mr Mbabazi’s legal team, however, argue that their reading of the law is inaccurate and only good “for storytelling, comedy and literature”.

The police spokesperson, Mr Fred Enanga, yesterday said: “We haven’t met them. What the IGP is saying is that there is nothing warranting that meeting because he had written to them asking Mbabazi to harmonise with the Electoral Commission and his party first. They already have the IGP’s position on what is required for them to harmonise so there is no need to meet.”

The Kinkiizi West MP had told journalists that he hoped the police and EC would respond to his letter “so we sit and discuss”.

Why do they want to raise the temperature in our politics? It is not necessary,” Mr Mbabazi said.
“It is my duty to explain to the country and those charged with the duty of enforcing the law to understand what the law is because I don’t want them to find themselves in trouble in the near future,” he said, taking a pause before adding: “because they will be held personally liable for violating the law. You cannot say I violated the law on orders because there is no order, none at all, that is above the law.”

Asked if he will apologise to Ugandans for backing the 2005 amendment of the Constitution, lifting term limits, which he now says from the benefit of experience are the only insulation from abuse of State power, Mr Mbabazi said: “Life is not like that,” and pleaded collective responsibility.

He skirted a question on whether he would restore term limits but said: “Even if the Constitution is not amended to restore term limits, I will serve for only five years. Those are enough for me to handle the transition.”

As he proceeded to the next question, something seemed to tickle his memory and he hastened to add: “If the people demand and we realise there is some work to be done, a maximum of 10 years will do.”

In 2011, when he was appointed prime minister, Mr Mbabazi vowed to the NRM parliamentary caucus that he would relinquish the NRM secretary general job in two weeks.

He was hounded out of that position from a group who have campaigned for Mr Museveni to be the NRM’s sole candidate.

When a reporter asked him about his friendship with Mr Museveni, Mr Mbabazi painted a vivid background of an enduring friendship that spans 40 years.

“I can’t be defeated in NRM you people, those who choose rigging will have chosen a non-democratic path, it is their choice. We will remain totally united and intact to move forward, those who choose rigging will have gone their way.”

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