Col. Kizza Besigye has reiterated that Ugandans have no power to change government through an election.
The four-time presidential hopeful has said he ceased seeking people’s votes in the 2011 presidential race after realizing that the citizens have been deprived of their power and even when they cast a vote, it can’t determine who wins but rather “those who hold guns” have the mandate to fix the winner.
Besigye made the revelations as he reacted on the recently revised election roadmap by the Electoral Commission in which campaign rallies were banned as a means to harmonise with COVID-19 health guidelines.
“It is dead on arrival,” Besigye dismissed the ‘scientific roadmap’.
He added: “first of all we have a scientific electoral commission appointed by Mr Museveni. The same scientific Byabakama commission is now organizing an illegitimate election.”
Reminded that it’s the role of EC to prepare an election as per the constitution, a charged Kizza Besigye said, “the constitution doesn’t mandate the electoral commission to organize a scientific election. So this roadmap is dead on arrival.”
The FDC founder, who claims to have won the 2016 Presidential election and went ahead to declare himself winner, only to be arrested and charged with treason told viewers of NBSTV that what EC should have done is to convene all stakeholders and resolve on the way forward.
“Instead Byabakama met one of the candidates- Mr Museveni at State House last Friday to receive instructions on how to organize the election in his favour,” Besigye alleged.
Pressed on if he could prove his claim, the former NRA combatant said he would avail evidence. “Yes I know.”
Besigye suggests that there shouldn’t be a rush in organizing an election during COVID. “We can extend Parliament and also negotiate a transition and Mr Museveni can go and home and look after his cattle after his term is over,” Besigye said.
But the EC spokesperson Jotham Taremwa on Wednesday made it clear that the Commission doesn’t need to consult anyone to draft an election roadmap.
Asked if Besigye was calling for a boycott he denied.
Over the years, Col Besigye has unequivocally told fellow opposition leaders that an election in Uganda can’t remove President Museveni from power.
Ugandans are preparing to choose their leader in 2021(next year) as Museveni’s five-term comes to an end. As to whether he is reelected or not, is a decision of the voters.