Otunnu says Museveni must not cling onto power

Uganda Peoples Congress presidential candidate Olara Otunnu yesterday hit back at President Museveni following his statement in Rukungiri on Monday that he will not leave power just a few years after discovery of oil in the country.
Speaking to journalists at the party’s seat in Kampala, Mr Otunnu described the President as “a person with personal interest in the country’s natural resources who only wants to pocket the oil proceeds”.

Mr Museveni, while campaigning in the Inter-Party Cooperation presidential candidate, Dr Kizza Besigye’s home district of Rukungiri, said the Forum for Democratic Change leader returned home from his self-exile in South Africa only after he learnt of the oil discoveries in Uganda.

Clear manifestation
Mr Otunnu said the President’s remarks are a clear manifestation of how he has failed democracy in the country, and urged the electorate to vote wisely in next year’s polls to remove him from power.

“Mr Museveni has plundered Uganda’s wealth by failing the once booming agriculture and industrial sectors. Together with his Generals, they invaded the Democratic Republic of Congo and plundered our neighbour’s wealth. Now Uganda is supposed to pay $10 billion to Congo because of atrocities committed by just a few greedy individuals,” said Mr Otunnu.

In December 2005, the International Court of Justice ruled that Uganda violated international human rights and humanitarian law when it launched military operations in the DRC between 1998 and 2003.

Uganda had pleaded self defence, but the Court rejected this claim, holding that Uganda should pay reparations to the Congolese government. Mr Otunnu added that Mr Museveni’s continued clinging onto power will only retard economic growth, accusing him of having run out of ideas to the extent of copying his manifesto.

“Mr Museveni never addressed issues on co-operatives, rejuvenation of Jinja industries and paying of ex-servicemen’s pension in his campaign manifesto,” said Mr Otunnu. “But after reading my manifesto, he has jumped on them. He has even taken over the only surviving co-operative union in Uganda – Bugisu Co-operative Union – when he failed the co-operatives. Where are Banyankole Kweterana, Masaka Co-operative Union and Busoga Co-operative Union?”
Budadiri West MP Nandala Mafabi was recently suspended as Bugisu Co-operative Union chairman.

Mr Mafabi is opposition FDC’s point man in Bugisu region, and political analysts argue his continued dominance of the regional politics using Bugisu Co-operative Union will cost NRM its support base.