Tooro keeping Museveni in power, says Gen Muntu

The Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) party presidential candidate, Gen Mugisha Muntu, has said President Museveni should have lost power long ago but it is Tooro that has kept him in power since  1996.

“It is you, people, here in Tooro that have kept Museveni in power all these past five elections where you have supported him and gained nothing. But I know Batooro, when they decide to change, they go wholesale, their humility should not be taken for granted,” Gen Muntu said while addressing supporters at Karago Trading Centre on Thursday.

In 2016, Museveni polled 122,134 votes (76.11%) of 168,671 total votes cast in Kabarole as compared to Mbarara where he polled 113,697 votes (70.79%) of 164, 365 votes cast and in Kiruhura he polled 121,286 votes (91. 35%) of 134, 721 total votes. Both Kiruhura and Mbarara are home districts of Mr Museveni.

Gen Muntu made the remarks while responding to Ms Annet Kandole, the ANT spokesperson for Rwenzori sub-region, who complained that since Monday when security personnel unleashed teargas on supporters of presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi in Fort Portal, most people have refrained from attending political rallies for fear of their lives. 

“In fact, people at home were asking whether I will return home safe but I had to attend our ANT rallies I had organised in this region,” Ms Kandole said.

“So I urge you now the people of Tooro come January 14, 2021, to vote out Museveni and replace him with me. Let him rest,  when Tooro says now that we have dropped Museveni, you will see a great change in this country forever,” Mr Muntu responded  said amid applause. 

He said his ANT government will promote tourism industry in Fort Portal by supporting the auxiliary services that benefit the tourism sector like roads, trade and  hotels, among others.

Reacting to Gen Muntu’s advise to the people of Tooro,  Mr Donanto Katsigazi, the NRM Coordinator for Tooro, said they “can’t let lose this government like that.”

“According to the NRM manifesto, a 50,000 capacity seater stadium will be constructed in Fort Portal to serve the whole region. We shall have industrial parks in each district, Kijura road will be rehabilitated to connect to Kyenjojo District. Fort Portal has been elevated to a city, our MMU (Mountains of the Moon University) taken up by the government,  so the government has a lot of projects that we as Batooro can’t dump it like that,” he said.

Fears to hand over power
Gen Muntu who started his day with early morning prayers at St Charles Lwanga in Fort Portal City, said President Museveni fears to hand over power to others but  advised him that losing power is not the end of the world.

“Those in power are fearing to hand over, losing power is not the end of the world. We have seen other leaders handing over power in other countries and those people in power should recognize that,” Gen Muntu said while addressing journalists after attending morning Mass at St Charles Lwanga Town parish.

He added that it is unfortunate that for about 58 years, Uganda has not experienced a peaceful transition of power from one president to another. 
Gen Muntu attributed the recent killings of Ugandans in Kampala and other parts of the country by the security operatives to fears of handing over power.

“Just imagine a week ago losing more than 50 Ugandans within three days not dying because of teargas, rubber bullets but by live ammunition just because they want to prevent people from spreading Covid-19,” he said. He added that Ugandans will not give up fighting for freedom and that the government needs to give up.

Earlier, during the Mass, the Fort Portal Diocese Vicar General,  Msgr Isaiah Mayombo, also condemned the recent brutality by security personnel on Ugandans, saying there is need for free and fair elections in 2021.

“We condemn the killings and violence by security against Ugandans, nobody should lose a life, we condemn all forms of violations of human rights,” Msgr Mayombo said.

He added:  “There is nobody who has a right to choose leaders for Ugandans, let Ugandans choose leaders for themselves, we should not have intimidation of voters to vote for a particular candidate even me I don’t have any authority to direct you (Christians)” Mayombo said.

He said the voters have the right to listen to all candidates so as to make informed choices.

How Museveni fared in Tooro in past polls
Since 1986 when NRM came to power, Tooro has been a bastion of the NRM government.

In  1996 polls, Museveni polled 258,475 votes (96.2 %) in Tooro while his closet challenger, Paul Kawanga Ssemwogerere got 2747 votes (1.02%) of the 268,591 total votes cast. 

Tooro then was the greater Kabarole which covered the present; Kabarole District, Fort Portal City, Kamwenge, Kitagwenda, Kyenjojo, Kyegegwa and Bunyangabu districts.

In 2001, Museveni got 93,414 (89%) in Kabarole which then covered the present day Fort Portal City, Kabarole and Bunyangabu districts, since others had been carved off. His closet challenger Kizza Besigye got 10, 870 (10.10%) of the 107,624 total votes cast among the six candidates, including Aggrey Awori, Bwengye Francis, Kyapa Karuhanga and Mayanja Kibirige. In Kamwenge Museveni polled 107,804 (97.80%) and Kyenjojo 114,083 (97.10%)

In 2011, Museveni polled 92,018 votes (90.07%) in Kamwenge district out of 158,120 votes. 

Other candidates in the race then included Abed Bwanika, Besigye Kifefe Kizza 9,163 votes (8.97%), Beti Olive Kamya Namisango, Bidandi Ssali Jaberi, Mao Norbert, Olara Otunnu and Samuel Lubega & Mukaaku Walter.

In Kabarole,  President Museveni polled 104709 votes (84.43%) of the  208, 758  votes, in Kyegegwa he had 47, 596 votes (90.88%) of the  76, 921 votes cast.

In Kyenjojo he polled 87,368 votes (90.74%) of 149,104 votes.

[email protected]