By Richard Wanambwa
In Summary
2016 presidential race. “We have always been
endorsing one person as a presidential candidate. We have had elections
for secretary general before but not a presidential candidate. If they
cheat me, then I will quit and contest for president independently.” Busiro North legislator Gilbert Balibaseka Bukenya, who served as vice president from 2003 to 2011, has declared that he will run against President Museveni in 2016. In an exclusive interview, Richard Wanambwa caught up with him at his Kakiri Country home and here are the excerpts.
We have heard talk that you are gearing up to contest for the leadership of NRM and subsequently contest for president of Uganda. Are you finally throwing the hat in the ring?
What has changed that now you want to challenge President Yoweri Museveni? Don’t you think he will defeat you or you’ll be cheated?
It will be the first time the NRM calls a delegates’ conference to elect a presidential candidate. We have always been endorsing one person for the presidential candidacy. We have had elections for secretary general before but not a presidential candidate. If they cheat me, then I will quit and contest for President independently.
Don’t you fear that you will be expelled from the party like the four MPs who were recently expelled for opposing party positions and the President?
Yes, I hear this talk that they want to expel me from the party but this is being spread by a very young man, Mr Ronald Kibuule, who was not even there during the formation of NRM party. I think he must still be learning politics so I don’t think anyone will dare take his position. And if he was sent by somebody, you can hear a lot of noise within the NRM party; that what has Bukenya done, what is making him be punished? How about the others who are also around and they are not being punished? So I am waiting to see.
What are you bringing on the table as a game changer?
For example if you put Shs250 million in a bag and you throw it to the youth and in the next health centre there are no medicines, what is the use of throwing this money instead of giving it to that health unit so that it can operate and have healthy people who work better?
Secondly, we must focus maximally on agriculture because agriculture is the step for income generation in this country.
I am very worried about the way money is being used in the agriculture sector; Naads today, no Naads tomorrow, Naads doesn’t do this the next day, Naads does this! You can see a lot of confusion in the agricultural sector yet that is the backbone of development in this country.
The public believes that there are people within the government who steal money but are untouchable. Since you have worked in very high offices, how true is this statement?
In this case, we are seeing it differently and when you look at the old people who have worked so hard to develop this country unable to get their pension because some people are eating and stealing it and no action is taken, then I wonder what is going on. There must be political action as well as action by the civil service.
Do you think the NRM system and President Museveni in particular will allow you to challenge him and you still remain in NRM?
Have you started mobilising people within the NRM, especially the delegates?
I haven’t and I don’t need to because I expect the
delegates – since most of them are political delegates – to see the
truth and vote for the truth. And if they think the country must
continue sinking well they do what they want to do but if they want the
country to change, then they will have to make decisions. I don’t want
to go around the country campaigning with money like some people are
beginning to do
Who are your army generals given that the army plays a big role in our politics?
The only thing we need to do is leave the generals alone, leave the army alone to play its national role and let politicians play their own role effectively.
After the death of your son, you said you would quit politics, what has happened?
Talking about your late son (RIP), have you ever received a postmortem report detailing what killed him?
When you were jailed everybody expected you to come out and walkout of NRM but instead you walked in. What informed you mind?
My lawyers (Kabega and others) argued strongly, they interviewed every witness the IGG brought and they said Bukenya never participated in this and that and I have a copy of the ruling that indicated that Bukenya never abused office and played with Motorcare to sell vehicles to this country. I was very pleased with the ruling, it was not mercy, it was a judgemental ruling.
Obviously there are many people whom the system protected who should have gone through the same because the queries were in security, hotels, local government and those were the implementers but for me I was a political leader.
To some people, you are not clean because you have been cited in corruption scandals and other personal failings. What do you have to that?
You have been accused of meeting the Kabaka of Buganda at night and trying to promote Ganda nationalism. How do you respond to this?
However, all of us (cultural institutions) are aiming at the development of our country. This must be done without nepotism, tribal tendencies and with equitable distribution of resources. People must be selected on the best for the job basis.
At one point you complained about a mafia clique in cabinet, do you believe that mafia still exists?
That was a lie and somehow, maybe the President took it as the truth. I view this as an unfortunate thing for the President to be surrounded by self-seeking liars. Is that not being a mafia?
Two similar lies were communicated to the President that I was meeting the Cardinal at 2am in Rubaga and that I was meeting Baganda army generals. Two blatant lies and I think by the same mafia group.
Do you regret having been dropped as Vice President?
I don’t regret at all because officers must come
and officers must go. I did my part and many Ugandans know. I suffered
my fate for political responsibility and Ugandans know. There are a
number of upheavals I am going through. For example I have never been
given my constitutional benefit as a retired vice president and Ugandans
know. I have had relentless investigations on my small hotel in
Entebbe, my properties are being investigated and it is also well known.
I hope
What do you say about the fate of your colleagues who were recently expelled from the NRM party?
Trying to do something outside the norms of the Constitution of Uganda is a big indicator of dictatorship. For all of us know that a party expelling an MP does not unseat the MP and it is in the Constitution. In 2005, when we tried to change the Constitution, that proposal was totally thrown out of Parliament. We are all still here who participated in that Constitutional amendment including the current leaders in cabinet.
Why do we want to tempt our judicial system through the Constitution Court to try and interpret the obvious?
Do you regret championing the calls to amend the Constitution to remove term limits to give President Museveni a third term?
I salute Mr Gerald Karuhanga for initiating a petition to amend the Constitution in order to restore term limits. I feel so jealous when I see former presidents in Kenya and in Tanzania sitting in happiness than in sorrow with current presidents of those countries.
Leaders must come and leaders must go. But when gone, live in respect and be looked after by your country.
Mahogany’s troubles
even my political colleagues are ready for the same adventure.
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