When a politician ages, s/he must give way to the young and fresh

The announcement in early March by Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine, that he will compete as a candidate in the 2021 presidential race may have troubled many old politicians, but certainly it is an excitement for the youth and the uninitiated.
It is also a reminder that Ugandans who have held or continue holding high offices of State, or who are veterans, should seriously reconsider whether it is not high time that they gave way to other Ugandans.
Talking to many voters in central region, regardless of their place of origin, there is great anticipation that one resident from this same region should be given a chance to head the affairs of the Republic of Uganda for at least five years continuously.

Since statehood, Ugandan leaders from Buganda such as Ben Kiwanuka, Edward Muteesa II, Yusuf Lule, Godfrey Binaisa and Paul Muwanga, have never been allowed to rule Uganda on average for more than two years.
On the other hand, Milton Obote ruled for about nine years, Idi Amin about the same length and Yoweri Museveni 33 years. Some Ugandans had hoped that either former vice president Specioza Kazibwe or Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga would surprise us and become the first woman president of Uganda from the eastern region.
Sadly, it is unlikely to be the case. We, of the western region, should not be selfish and fear to surrender political power to our brothers and sisters from other regions. We have enjoyed the monopoly of power longer than any other region and currently dominate UPDF, police, prisons and public service.

There has been speculation that Kyagulanyi may not be qualified to be president. This is sheer nonsense. Before the NRM took power, many Ugandan exiles, of whom I was one, campaigned very hard in Europe for our man, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
We were always laughed at as jokers with taunts that our man was a nobody, but a communist upstart who was a puppet of Muammar Gadhafi of Libya and poodle to Fidel Castro of Cuba and stooge of North Korea.
In fact, these are the same countries that assisted us greatly in our struggles. Today, we have become a pure capitalist State beloved of those countries which dismissed us as blinded by communism.

Bobi Wine may also be belittled because he is a musician, but wait for 2021. Former US president Ronald Reagan was an actor. He turned out to be one of the greatest presidents of the USA.
President Emmanuel Macron of France was until recently a nobody. The Iron Lady, Margaret Thatcher of the UK, was a mere chemist not to mention Jimmy Carter of the US who was a peanut seller. More importantly, none of them were professional politicians.
Finally, there is a lot of talk about how the NRM with President Museveni at its helm can never be defeated. Historians and experts of politics believe this is idle talk intended to instil fear among Ugandans.

Let us, therefore, bravely approach 2021 without preconceived conclusions. There is plenty of evidence about Uganda’s elections which shows that politics in the country is not static and politicians are no immortal.
The Kizza Besigyes and Norbert Maos have done their best. They and any other elderly candidate attempted to stand for the presidency should accept the old adage that when a dancer ages, or is exhausted, he or she gives way to the young and fresh.