We’ll defeat People Power using the army - Otafiire

The minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Maj Gen Kahinda Otafiire, has said the army is ready to crash whoever is misusing and misrepresenting people’s power for selfish interests.
Gen Otafiire, who was meeting residents from Mitooma District who live in Kampala on Sunday, said a clique of people is misrepresenting people’s power under the slogan of People Power to disorganise the country.
He said people’s power is vested and represented by local councils (LCs) and whoever tries to usurp it will not be allowed.
“I have heard all this noise about People Power; which power do you represent, where are these people? The one we know is the LCI chairperson, people power is exercised by the LCI chairperson through the ballot box,” Gen. Otafiire at a meeting held in Kashenshero Town Council.

Use of the army
“We will guard this power using the army and air force. Whoever tries to disrupt this power, you are welcome but what will come next, don’t regret,” he added.
People Power is a political pressure group led by Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine. Mr Kyagulanyi has declared that he will stand for presidency in 2021 elections.
Gen Otafiire warned the youth against being used by “greedy and unpatriotic people to achieve their own selfish interests’’.
“We have heard that some youth are being mobilised to cause anarchy and fight government. It is not wrong to oppose but this should not be through violence. We started opposing bad governance when we were youth but we were not violent,” he said.
The minister added: “Yes, you can attempt to remove government through violence. I don’t say it is not possible but know it is not easy and be prepared for the consequences.”
He said some of the youth are being mobilised through institutions, including Makerere University.
The residents, who had invited Gen Otafiire for a meeting to draw strategies for development and unity of Mitooma District, asked him to stop leaving them guessing on whether he will contest in the 2021 parliamentary election.
“General, you have left us guessing on whether you are coming back to represent us; we want you to use this meeting tell us your plans for Ruhinda in the next elections,” Mr David Nuwamanya, a resident, said.
Gen Otafiire was non-committal on the 2021 election but said he never lost the 2016 election but was robbed of victory.
He added that now that the people have realised how beneficial he was to them, he will work with them to accomplish the development projects he was championing in the area, including roads, water and electricity.
Capt (Rtd) Donozio Kahonda defeated Gen Otafiire in the Ruhinda parliamentary election in 2016. Capt Kahonda polled 26,029 votes (56.9 per cent) while Gen Otafiire got 17,269 votes (37.7 per cent).