2011 was Museveni’s worst year in power- opposition leaders say

Posted on | januari 6, 2012 | 1 Comment

The leaders of the opposition parties in Uganda have described the year 2011 as the worst year of President Museveni’s rule. In a telephone interview with The London Evening post, the leader of the opposition in parliament Mr Nathan Nandala Mafabi said the year 2011 has been the worst of the 25year-rule of President Yoweri Museveni’s government. In the wake of the pending retirement of Col Dr Kizza Besigye as leader of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Mr Mafabi revealed he intends to stand for his party’s leadership and called upon Ugandans to consider him capable of ruling Uganda when elected the flag bearer of FDC come 2016.

Dr Besigye has indicated he will be standing down from his party’s leadership when his term expires in 2014. He has unsuccessfully contested for the Uganda presidency three times and in mid-December said he was standing down to create ample time for the next party leader to consolidate him/herself in the FDC leadership early enough before the 2016 general elections.

Mr Mafabi said Uganda have in the past year seen their liberty, justice and dignity attacked by government policies and military action. “Those who demanded improvements in their rights and freedoms including the right to work and freedom to walk to work through peaceful demonstrations, were attacked by the government using disproportionate force which resulted in deaths, injuries and the detention of innocent people, some of whom were charged with treason, a capital offence that is punishable by death,” he said.

He went on to add that since the National Resistance Movement (NRM) came to power in 1986, corruption has remained widespread at all level of society and the country faces major implementation challenges. “We have seen many ministers being accused and resigning over corruption in Uganda so there is no doubt for me when I say that 2011 has been the worst year of Museveni’s rule,” the FDC parliamentary chief said.

The leader of the Conservative Party, John Ken Lukyamuzi also described 2011 as the worst of Museveni‘s 25 years of rule. “I have never seen a worse situation in Uganda like what has taken place during the 9th Parliament. The country is now under economic attack and Museveni cannot manage to continue ruling it,” Lukyamuzi said. Popularly nicknamed ‘Ken the Man’, Lukyamuzi jokingly laughed and added: “I am impressed when I hear of Museveni talking about Oil Money. Uganda has no oil, am not joking. Seriously speaking, Uganda has no Oil and no one knows if there is Oil. If Uganda at this point cannot even transport oil in the raw material form, how can you talk of oil?” he asked. He said Uganda could no longer be ruled by the NRM. “It will be day dreaming for Museveni to say he will come back in 2016 when only one year in office has failed him,” Ken the Man said.

AUTHOR: Nangayi Guyson
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