Africa-Press – Uganda. The Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has asked the Ugandan government to reflect on the leadership transition of Tanzania after President John Pombe Magufuli died last week and was seamlessly succeeded by his vice president.
Addressing journalists at the party headquarters in Najjanankumbi yesterday, the FDC deputy secretary general, Mr Harold Kaija, said Tanzanians have managed their transition without instability.
He said Uganda should borrow a leaf from Tanzania on a peaceful transition in such emergency situations. Following the death of Magufuli, vice president Samia Suluhu Hassan was sworn in as the president under the constitution of Tanzania.
“Our friends in Tanzania went through a power transition with no instability. In Uganda if anything, God forbid, happens to Museveni, who would take over from him? In Uganda, it is not known who our second or third choice is after the president. It is hard to explain,” Mr Kaija said.
Article 108 of the Uganda Constitutions stipulates: “If the President dies, resigns or is removed from office under this Constitution, the Vice President shall assume the office of President until fresh elections are held within six months and the elected President assumes office in accordance with Article 103(8) of this Constitution.”
Article 108 (5) states: “Where the President and the Vice President are both unable to perform the functions of the office of the President, the Speaker shall perform those functions until the President or the Vice President is able to perform those functions or until a new President assumes office.”
However, despite these constitutional provisions, Mr Kaija said the reality in Uganda suggests a different story.
“If you talk of our Vice President Edward Ssekandi, we last heard about him last year before Covid-19. All leaders we have are captives of President Museveni. Apart from him, no one gives directives. We should thus reflect on the leadership we need in this country,” he added.
Mr Kaija also challenged other African leaders to learn from Magufuli’s leadership saying in just five years, the deceased was able to achieve what his counterparts on the continent have failed to do in more than 15 years.
Kaija asked government to ban foreign travels under the guise of seeking models for benchmarking and save taxpayers money.“Magufuli led for a very short period but his term was very impactful. He gave meaning to the five-year term. He was a very transformative leader. These are the leaders we want…,” Mr Kaija said.
Meanwhile, Mr Kaija said FDC is alarmed by increasing criminality in the country. He attributed the growing insecurity on high unemployment rates.
