By Faridah N Kulumba
Africa-Press – Uganda. Last week some of the President of Uganda’s ministers endorsed him for the presidency in the next election only a year after when he was elected on sith term. Among the minister including the Vice President of Uganda Maj Jessica Alupo, Interior Minister Gen Kahinda Otafiire, and Defence Minister Vicent Sempijja together with other leaders of the ruling party National Resistance Movement (NRM) signed a letter of support for President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s re-election bid in 2026.
Will Museveni be eligible to stand in 2026?
President Museveni 78 years is the longest-serving president of Uganda. According to the Constitution of Uganda Museveni qualifies to seek another term. He came to power on 36 January 1986 after outsing then President Milton Obote.
In 2026 Museveni will be 82 years old which does not disqualify him because in 2017 Uganda’s Constitution was amended and the removal of the previous upper age limit of 75 years was announced. If the three minister’s endorsement succeeds, Museveni will be standing for the 7th term which is allowed due to the fact that Ugandan presidential term limits were removed in 2005.
President for centuries
One of the indicators showing that Mr Museveni will be standing for a 7th term is based on Minister of Justice Norbert Mao’s revelation. While addressing the youth at an event to mark International Youth Day in western Uganda Mao told the youth that then President Museveni assigned him the task of organizing a consensus for transition in Uganda starting in 2031. According to Mao, the transition will be in three phases; consensus, endorsement and implementation of what will be agreed upon. And by 2031, there will be a new Uganda.
In July 2022, one of the Ugandan leading opposition patties Nobert Mao of the Democratic Party (DP) signed a cooperation agreement with President Museveni, he was appointed by President Museveni as the new Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs. Mao’s appointment and acceptance shocked many Ugandans due to the fact that he has been so critical of the ruling government and many could not believe that he will be serving under the same government he has been criticizing for years. In one of the videos circulated on social media platforms, Mao on March 6, 2022, said he can never be bought with money and that he can never join a government and live his party behind.
Mao’s Position- The two parties agreed on Mao being appointed as Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs in a position that has been vacant for over a year. The minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs will be the lead for coordinating the national dialogue and the whole government’s response to constitutional reforms within the mandate to coordinate budget proposals in the Justice Law and Order Sector.
Transition of power
Uganda has never had a peaceful transition of power. All the past years since independence the peaceful transition of power is still elusive. Uganda is still entangled in cycles of bloodshed that have accompanied change from one regime to another. From President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in the 1980s, the promise of national deliverance from the curse of violent government change is still alive. Some politicians, most especially from the opposition side have tried to debate it for years but still, there is no change. President Museveni who has been in power for over 35 years believes that changing presidents is not the solution to Uganda’s problem.
Is Museveni the only person fit to rule Uganda
Those who are behind the endorsement have often argued that President Museveni has done a lot for the country and that he should not be subjected to an internal process since his track records speak for themselves. The issue of President Museveni’s sole candidature will be presented before NRM’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) for consideration.
Faridah N Kulumba, [10/10/2022 11:17 PM]
The Deputy Resident City Commissioner of Masaka City Ahmed Kateregga Musaazi in an interview with Africa-Press said that he thinks that the endorsement will be approved and the president will agree to stand.
General elections 2021
Uganda held the elections on 14 January 2021, to elect the President and the Parliament. The Electoral Commission announced Incumbent President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Tibuhaburwa, who has ruled the country since 1986, as the winner with 58.64% of the votes although the US State Department qualified the electoral process as “fundamentally flawed and Africa Elections Watch said they observed irregularities.
Where does the endorsement leave ‘Muhoozi Project?
It remains to be seen what the effect of the endorsement will have on President Museveni’s son Gen Muhoozi Kainerugab’s (MK) hopes of succeeding his father in 2026. Muhoozi was already rallying young people across Uganda to back him in 2026.
Muhoozi towards the end of April 2022, signalled his desire to go public about his presidential ambitions when he auspiciously turned his 48th birthday celebrations into a national event. The first son’s expression of interest in succeeding his father who has been in power for more than 35 years, came after almost a decade of speculations.
The “Muhoozi Project” was coined by one Gen David Sejusa in 2013 when he revealed that President Museveni was grooming his son Muhozi to succeed him when he retires. But President Museveni and Gen Muhoozi repeatedly denied the allegation.
The revelation
After the much-hyped birthday celebrations, which included some activities like a marathon and a football match, Lt Gen Muhoozi seems to have gathered the courage to publicly express his interest in the presidency. On May 1st Gen Muhoozi via Twitter his favourite social media channel made the long-awaited announcement. “When Team MK wins power in this country, which we will, our first action will be to increase the sports budget,” Muhoozi said on Twitter adding that team MK will announce their political programme soon.
Father’s reaction
President Museveni has never publicly announced whether his son will succeed him when he retires. But on 24 April during Gen Muhoozi’s birthday celebrations at State House, the president hinted that his son would be taking charge when he said that Gen Muhoozi “is impatient” with the corrupt people and will fight them.
Museveni is here today, tomorrow and in 2026
The ruling NRM party electoral commission chairman, Tanga Odoi, in November last year assured that President Museveni will be their presidential candidate in the 2026 elections. Odoi warned any NRM member who wants to be the party’s presidential candidate should not waste time. He added that Museveni is here today, tomorrow and in 2026, period and that they can not play around with the country with another person.
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