By Kevin Patrice
President Museveni has finally brocken his silence on the matter of who will become President after he finally chooses it’s time for him to hung up his political boots.
Museveni admitted that he has no succession plan in place, but insisted he still has what it takes to continue guiding the country at whose helm he has been for the last 34 years.
Discussion on claims that President Museveni is grooming his son Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba to take over from him after he has chosen to retire has dominated debate on the president’s succession plan since former spy chief Gen David Sejusa alleged that there was a plan to eliminate top military and government officials opposed to what he called the ‘Muhoozi Project.’
Previously, both Museveni and his son Muhoozi denied presence of such a project, although the first son recently said his enemies wanted to use the alleged plan to destroy him but his generation had turned it from a curse to a blessing.
Apart from the Muhoozi Project, succession discussions have also pointed at the first family, the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and some opposition politicians like Dr Kizza Besigye as some of those who were likely to succeed Museveni who has been in power since 1986 and wants to contest again in the 2021 presidential election.
But Museveni has made it clear that he has no succession plan because the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda is supposed to guide on who should succeed him and how that person should be chosen.
“The succession plan is in the Constitution, you vote every after five years; there is no problem with succession. If I say I am no longer running, the people of Uganda will vote,” Museveni said in a recent media interview.
The President also expressed confidence that his NRM Party “has got a lot of leaders because it is a party of unity which differs from DP (Democratic Party) and UPC (Uganda People’s Congress).”
“The people [with potential to succeed me] are plenty; it is not my job [to mention them] but the people see them. It’s not for me to say [their names]. I don’t impose [my choice on others],” Museveni added.
The President also explained that although he had said he would not keep in power once he clocks 75 years of age, he has not yet fulfilled his agenda of unity, democracy, socio-economic transformation and Panafricanism. Until that plan has been achieved, President Museveni seemed to say that he would not leave power unless he was voted out.
“Of course I am fit to run for the next election, what is the problem? Most importantly I am fit for my own life,” confirmed Museveni.
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