Rukungiri leaders ask Besigye to reconsider retirement
Former Presidential Candidate Dr Kizza Besigye speaks during a Crusade at Bagahwe, Bugangari sub county Rukungiri district on July 15. PHOTO/PEREZ RUMANZI
What you need to know:
- The leaders openly asked Dr. Besigye to consider returning to an active role in politics. They said that his absence from the political arena has created a noticeable void in all political parties.
Rukungiri district leaders belonging to the Forum for Democratic Change party (FDC) have appealed to Dr. Kiiza Besigye, urging him to reconsider his decision to retire from politics and run for political office again.
They believe that his leadership is essential in resolving the current political impasse and lack of direction within political parties on a national level.
During a Born Again Crusade held at Bagahwe Trading Centre in Bugangari sub-county, Rukungiri district 0n July 15, the leaders, including former Rukungiri Municipality MP Mr Roland Mugume Kaginda, Rukungiri district FDC Chairperson Mr Virginia Kyarugahe, former Woman MP Ms. Betty Bamukwasa Muzanira, and former Rujumbura county MP MR Fred Tumuheirwe Turyamuhweza, among others, openly asked Dr. Besigye to consider returning to an active role in politics.
They said that his absence from the political arena has created a noticeable void in all political parties.
“We were here thinking that the president (Museveni) was a god. The challenges you see us having in political parties, it’s because you relaxed and thought of testing whether there is another commander. I want to implore you to get back to full command. Speak now we shall listen,” Mr Kaginda said.
He urged Dr. Besigye to reclaim his full authority and provide the much-needed political direction.
Ms Muzanira said Dr Besigye needed to allow leaders to start campaigning for his reelection in 2026 and mobilise for registration and structures formation of the party and other willing Ugandans if real change must be achieved.
She expressed the readiness of party members to unite and work towards bringing him back into the political fold.
“We are ready to start the mobilisation, for the young, the old the weak and the strong that all of us start a campaign to have you back on the ballot, we now need you to allow us to do this.” Ms Muzanira who served for two years as Rukungiri Woman MP following a by election said.
Ms. Kyarugahe, the Rukungiri district party chairperson, pointed out that many people were hesitant to engage in party structure elections, awaiting Dr. Besigye's decision on whether he would participate in the upcoming elections.
During the visit at Nyankoro village in the same sub county, Mr John Mbunduguru, an FDC leader and parish registrar said people had refused to be in the party register over challenges in the party but also because they do not know his stand on the coming elections.
“People are asking, are you coming back? They don’t want to get involved in another election were you are not a candidate or you chose to not participate. We all want you back to lead us. They tell us someone wants to sell our party, how can we trust those people leading us now?” Mr Mbunduguru said.
However Dr Besigye was dismissive of the electoral process as a change measure under President Museveni reechoing his earlier stance that the elections should only be used for mobilization for a peaceful transition for citizens to regain their lost right to choose leaders.
“For the challenges of the party, when we thinking the leaders have challenges, we shall come in and put things to order, we shall never allow the party to go astray,” Dr Besigye answered Mbunduguru.
At the crusade he said; “Since 2016, I have been campaigning telling you that you who want to give me the votes you don’t have a vote. You don’t have power to vote me. How now should I trust people to vote me who themselves have no vote? The struggle I want us to engage in is to first have a vote to give, then we see how we can vote. Speaking of an election without thinking about the power you hold is nothing,” he said.
In the 2021 elections, several leaders in Rukungiri district on FDC ticket lost their seats in the elections that only had a 42% turn up. FDC lost its hold on the district to NRM in over 90% of all elective positions.
Dr. Besigye graced the closure of the four-day crusade, organized by Pastor Arthur Tabaro, who is also the LC I chairman (on FDC ticket) of Kanyankyende village in Bugangari Sub County.
He reaffirmed his commitment to the struggle for a democratic country and vowed not to be swayed by anything.
