Tumukunde to run as independent
Presidential hopeful and former Security minister, Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde, during an interview at his offices in Kololo, Kampala, yesterday. PHOTO| DAVID LUBOWA
Presidential aspirant and former Security minister Henry Tumukunde has said he will unveil a pressure group under which he will campaign to unseat his former boss President Museveni in the 2021 General Election.
Lt Gen Tumukunde said the pressure group dubbed ‘Kisoboka’ will have a team of regional representatives in various parts of the country who will be tasked to effect strategies to popularise his message and also mobilise for him the necessary support to win next year’s polls.
“We are going to do a mini-launch on Wednesday [and] it will include some regional representatives. They will be very few because of the Covid rules. Thereafter, we shall lay out the roadmap so that we are clear on how we shall operate,” Gen Tumukunde told Daily Monitor at his residence in Kampala.
The former spy master said the decision for the formation of the pressure group was because his efforts to secure a political party under which to identify himself were unsuccessful.
“We’ve been trying to work with others and see if we can have a joint team but for now I have decided to first sort out my house and then we can work with others. Sometimes it matters that you have your own home before you can cooperate with others,” Gen Tumukunde said.
He, however, did not rule out supporting a coalition candidate by the Opposition to run against President Museveni.
Gen Tumukunde is also expected to present his manifesto and official electoral roadmap upon for 2021.
He explained why he had been ‘silent’ while other Opposition parties openly engaged in election activities.
“I don’t know how quiet I have been but I believe in having networks and sorting out links to people from whom you expect votes. So I don’t know if that is being very quiet,” Gen Tumukunde added.
Gen Tumukunde is currently battling charges of treason and illegal possession of firearms after he was arrested in March this year at his home in Kololo, a Kampala suburb.
His arrest came shortly after he declared he would run for president in next year’s polls.
