Country in mess due to poor governance, says Gen Muntu

The former presidential candidate for Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), Maj Gen (rtd) Mugishu Muntu, has said the country is currently in a mess due to poor governance.

“This country is in a total crisis because of bad governance by President Museveni. I don’t think he will leave a positive legacy,” Maj Gen Muntu told a post-election review meeting for former party candidates from Sebei, Bukedi, Elgon and Karamoja sub-region  in Mbale District on Monday.

Gen Muntu said the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party will disintegrate immediately if President Museveni relinquishes power since it is built on a weak foundation.

“Ugandans are sitting on a time bomb that is expected to explode anytime. They should just reflect on what transpired in the just concluded presidential election, where people were beaten by the regime in order to hang on power,” he said.

Gen Muntu was presenting a paper on the relevance of values-based politics in the country today.

He said the NRM government has turned Ugandans into slaves, adding that Mr Museveni’s sole interest is to stay in power at all costs.

“Ugandans have now turned into slaves in their own country. They cannot get out of this oppressive regime because of the massive intimidations,”  the ANT president said.

Gen Muntu said a small class of people, who are supporters of NRM party, have looted government resources with impunity at the expense of poor Ugandans.

“Nobody will come from outside to liberate this country but it’s upon Ugandans to stand and set themselves free from slavery,” he said.

 Gen Muntu said his party will continue working with the population to wake them up so that they collectively demand for change.

However, the NRM spokesperson, Mr Rogers Mulindwa, said Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu had no moral authority to criticise the ruling government, which has been entrusted by electing President Museveni for another term.

Rebuttal
“The little support he garnered was a sign of humiliation and this gives him no moral authority to criticise the elected government,”  Mr Mulindwa said.

Electoral Commission declared Mr Museveni the winner of the presidential election on 16 January with 58 per cent of the vote followed by National Unity Platform party candidate Robert Kyagulanyi with 35 per cent. Gen Muntu came fourth with 0.65 per cent.

Mr Mulindwa said since Gen Muntu worked with the current regime for 12 years,  he contributed greatly to the mess he is talking about.

“This elected government will not be shaken by such reckless statements because whoever opposes them uses the same style of criticism to undermine the legitimate government,” he said.

“The Opposition has the same character and style of behaviour to make such statements but as NRM, we are more focused to serve the people of Uganda,” he added.

The ANT acting national coordinator, Ms Alice Alaso, said the workshop was  an opportunity for the candidates to interact with the party leadership and analyse the national context under which the general elections were conducted.

The Elgon Sub-region coordinator, Ms Zanubia Namutamba, lauded Maj Gen Muntu for persevering in the hostile environment that was characterised by rights abuses.

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