Citizens petition court over Museveni remarks

KAMPALA. Two people have petitioned the Constitutional Court seeking declarations that the recent statement by President Museveni that he is not a servant of Ugandans are unconstitutional.
The petitioners say the President made the contested remarks during the 31st NRM anniversary celebrations on January 26, in Masindi Town.
The President further in his remarks said he is a freedom fighter who fights for himself and his beliefs.

“I am not an employee. I hear some people saying that I am their servant, I am not a servant of anybody. I am a freedom fighter; that is why I do what I do. I don’t do it because I am your servant; I am fighting for myself, for my belief; that’s how I come in. If anybody thinks you gave me a job, he is deceiving himself. I am just a freedom fighter whom you thought could help you also,” the petitioners quote Museveni as saying during the celebrations.
The petitioners; Robert Mugisha, a graduate teacher of science and Deusdeit Bwengye, a computer specialist, contend that the President’s remarks offend the cardinal principle of “popular sovereignty.”
They say the same utterances are inconsistent with Articles 1, 98 (3) and 103 (2) b of the Uganda Constitution.
Article 1 of the Constitution states that all power belongs to the people who shall exercise sovereignty in accordance with the Constitution.

The President’s liberation remarks had come on the heels of statements by Opposition and four-time presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye who had repeatedly referred to Mr Museveni as “the servant of the people” by virtue of being a President elected by the people.
At the celebrations, President Museveni added that such views that he is “a people’s servant” are misplaced.
However, his remarks ran contrary to his inaugural speech as President in 1986 when he said the government must be a “servant of the citizens.”
Further in their petition, Mr Mugisha and Mr Bwengye challenge the ministerial appointment of Gen Edward Katumba Wamala as state minister for Works without first retiring or resigning from the army.

The duo contend that Katumba’s appointment to Cabinet is contrary to articles 113 (4), 114 (5) and 208 (2) of the Constitution.
In January this year, Gen Katumba was dropped as the army’s Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and appointed to Cabinet. He was replaced in the army by Gen David Muhoozi.
In the same army reshuffle, the President also moved his son Maj Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba as the head of the Special Forces Command to a presidential adviser.
The petitioners also are challenging the February 15 appointment of Kyabazinga of Busoga Kingdom William Wilberforce Nadiope Gabula 1V as envoy for special duties in the President’s office.

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