By George Muhimbise
As we head for 2021 elections, many have declared their Presidential bids. Gen Tumukunde, Hon Kyagulanyi, Gen Mugisha Muntu, Gen Museveni, Charles Rwomushana, my friend Moses Byamugisha, Hon Mao etc. Dr Besigye is expected on the ballot unless otherwise.
In African countries where civic education is low and manipulation so high, many people vote on the basis of emotions and not reason. Some vote for who has crowds, others for bravery, others for money, others for tribe and others don’t know why they vote etc.
Many vote Museveni because they fear him not because they love him. Those who vote him because of peace only fear that if he lose he will resort to violence. Others vote for an opposition candidate whom they feel is brave enough to confront Museveni.
This election is not or should not be about who can pull crowds because we are not in a music concert. Its not about who is brave enough to issue threats, Museveni has had enough threats. We are not looking for who is very eloquent, we aren’t in a debate competition, we are not looking for a candidate who is strong or rude, we are not looking for Golola Moses!, its not about testing some one, we aren’t in gambling!
This election is about capabilities, values, experience, skills, reputation, principles, expertise, capacity, ability, potential etc. It is about which candidate will manage a post Museveni transition without causing violence or with capacity to neutralise any possibility of violence. Its not merely about who can defeat Museveni but rather who can manage Uganda better.
This election is about which candidate can lead this country into a reconciliation from the past frustrations & injustice & lead it into national unity. Its about a leader who is ready to handle the security forces which have a stake in our politics & transform them from partisan forces into professional non partisan organs. its about a leader that has the skills and discipline to build institutions that are stronger than personalities. Our country has been messed by leaders who look at themselves & personal popularity at the expense of institutions.
Mugisha Muntu has the above qualities. He has the capacity to transform our security forces into professional and responsible forces. He did this as an army Commander when he transformed NRA from a rebel outfit into a professional force regardless of the many challenges at a time. He never made political statements involving the army in partisan politics like many of the military officers.
The only attempt he made was in Ntungamo in 1996 when he warned Museveni from involving army in politics and this was in a public meeting. Muntu never engaged in rigging of elections when he was in the army like many of the army officers today. You are sure he will be a President who will not use security agencies as a political tool to benefit him.
Gen Muntu as an army commander, FDC President, MP in both East Africa Legislative Assembly & Ugandan Parliament exercised maximum discipline and integrity.
He is a leader who has never been named in any corruption scandal in his life. From 1986 as a public servant and a political leader without even an allegation yet he handled positions with high temptations, is enough to prove that he is a man who can not be corrupted by power, fame or money. You are sure that he will run a clean government based on integrity, honesty, transparency and service before self.
His famous story when he went to the bush at the age of 23 leaving favours in UPC government which was headed by Obote his father’s friend clearly shows the patriotism in him.
Today how many university graduates personally known to Museveni would go to the bush to fight him? How many youth of today would forego Museveni’s money and brand new vehicles and go to the bush to fight him instead? How many would go back to the bush to continue fighting government after surviving bullets in the chest like Muntu did even when there are job offers awaiting them in government?
I have talked to many of our youth, many will tell you that they are looking for fees, jobs, connections, etc. Muntu abandoned money, vehicles, jobs, connections etc & chose to go to the bush to fight for justice. So Muntu is a definition of patriotism. Anybody that wants to learn patriotism should simply read about Muntu’s biography, its enough to know what patriotism is.
He is a leader who doesn’t confront his opponents or perceived enemies. Even when he disagrees with you he does so respectfully. When he left FDC , he never uttered a word undermining or attacking his former party or it’s leaders, that is a leader who will not attack his opponents. He is a leader that will create a levelled ground for every body.
We need a leader who commands respect across Political divide including in government. Managing a transition in a volatile country like Uganda needs to be handled delicately. Those in government and security have a role to play in ensuring a peaceful transition. This is because they have power & influence, so we need a leader who is acceptable by both players so that the change can be orderly & less bloody. We can’t take those in government out of equation.
We can learn a lesson from South Africa with Mandela, Zimbabwe after Mugabe, Kenya after Moi, etc.
Gen Muntu commands respect across the divide, he is a fulcrum on which peaceful transition can be negotiated & consensus generated. When we radicalize opposition, those in government radicalize power. In the end, the struggle & scramble for power may strangle the nation & in the end you can have power & lose the nation yet it is easy to destroy a nation’s economy than to build it.
With his diplomatic approach, his exposure in the regional Parliament (EALA), having supervised leaders like Gen Paul Kagame of Rwanda who was his deputy in NRA, Muntu has the capacity to manage regional politics, the volatile great lakes region etc. This makes him the right person to manage the geo-politics of our region. With a clean government based on strong values, building the economy will not be a problem because all along we haven’t lacked economic formulas or good policies but we have lacked good will & strong institutions. Muntu has both.
I therefore call upon fellow Members of ANT to support Gen. Mugisha Muntu should he seek for our flag. I call upon Ugandans to support Muntu because he has all the qualities that Uganda needs at the moment.
May God bless Uganda.
muhimbiseg@gmail.com, 0787836515
The writer is a member of Alliance for National Transformation.