President Yoweri Museveni has allayed fears within the political space that elections may be postponed.

Museveni confirmed in an exclusive interview on NBS TV that elections will go ahead if the virus can be contained by next month.

The President when asked about the organisation of elections and time left, he said: “Well if the virus can stop around June and then we can have a campaign. We do not need to have a long campaign “elections are not a big issue we can organize them quickly.”

And when asked about his views on his opponents ahead of the 2021 elections, Museveni accepted them as he moves to square up to them for the 5th time running.

The President who is the chairman of the NRM party, said: “I have no problem with dissenting voices like Bobi Wine (Robert Kyagulanyi) and Kizza Besigye. The only issue is that some of them mix politics and subversion and the arrest of (Henry) Tumukunde has everything to do with subversion.”

Museveni – NRM

Museveni has enjoyed massive ratings during this corona virus period while addressing the nation. His handling of the Covid-19 has attracted him support not only in Uganda but also across the borders.

The early response to the Covid-19 spread has seen the numbers of cases fewer than those in the region. And to-date there are no confirmed deaths.

The performance of his ministers and technical people during the fight against Covid-19 has been appreciated by the public. Minister Dr. Ruth Jane Aceng and permanent secretary Dr. Diana Atwine have very instrumental in this fight. Their achievements collectively along with President Museveni’s decision-making during this time, have given the NRM government as starting ground ahead of the campaigns and elections.

The President before Covid-16 was combing the countryside to preach on strengthening the household.

In his tours in Kasese and Kyotera, he said: “It is the same concern with household incomes, fighting corruption, getting our masses out of traditional to commercial farming, stabilizing land productivity through irrigation and security. We must address all these to achieve equilibrium.”

Museveni stated: “Among the challenges we are facing as a country, I single out subsistence farming. We need to focus on how to shift to commercial agriculture so that each household has some income accrued from what is produced other than producing for home consumption only.”

On security, he said: “While the Army has brought about peace, it must now seek to be an agent of social transformation that would entail encouraging the civilians to participate in commercial agriculture as opposed to subsistence farming.”

Museveni emphasized: “I am glad we have succeeded in building the army from people and for the people. I call upon the men and women in uniform to uphold and maintain the discipline and the good relationship that the UPDF has cultivated with wananchi.”

He also noted: “The biggest enemy we have today are people who have big chunks of land but carry out subsistence farming. The campaign must be about food security and to remove people out of poverty. We must also add factories that can help process agricultural products, add services and ICT.”

Opposition

The opposition will have little time to patch things together if the corona virus fight continues to spread into the country beyond next month as the President revealed.

They have not done much given the strict measures imposed to tame Covid-19. They were restricted to activities like meeting their voters and extending to them food help. The new measures only allowed the Covid-19 national task force to distribute food. With Mary Karoro at the help, opposition had little to do to make a statement.

Bobi Wine – People Power

However, People People chief Robert Kyagulanyi and his team drove to donate food. Clandestinely, they have been distributing food among some areas. This was championed by Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake. Zaake’s problems with the state have been linked to distributing food, a thing police say is illegal.

Bobi Wine has literally benefited from Zaake’s arrest and alleged torture. Politically, he continues to leverage from the arrest by updating his supporters about his right hand man. The situation attracted the Speaker Rebecca Kadaga to demand for investigations after minister Obiga Kania presented a report on Zaake on floor of Parliament.

Bobi has also been vocal in Parliament, returning Shs20M Covid-19 and branding it a fraud. He drew myriads of appreciation from his followers.

He rebuked: “While millions of Ugandans starved and countless lost jobs, the Parliament of Uganda allocated itself 10bn shs ($2.7m) and gave each Member 20m! Not even a court order or public outcry could stop them. Wrong and immoral! I’ve returned this money and will not partake in a fraud so vile.”

Tumukunde – Independent

The arrest of Lt. Gen. Henry Tumukunde has seen some opposition leaders keep themselves busy, coming out of their homes to court and stealing media attention. Tumukunde, before his arrest, declared his intentions to run against President Museveni. His arrest has drawn him attention from the outside of his NRM confines. Dr. Besigye and Muntu have openly come out to either stand surety or supported his cause.

Muntu – Ante

Gen. Muntu, a former army commander is a close friend to him and has been in court every time he was brought for bail hearing.

Alliance for National Transformation chief, Gen. Muntu went as far releasing a statement rebuking high court decision to deny some of them the chance to stand surety to their fellow bush war comrade to have his freedom.

He charged: “Serving your country is one of the highest honours one can hope for. For many men and women in uniform, it comes with putting one’s life on the line for the good of the nation literally and severally. And while this should never be used as a basis for living above the law by those who have served, neither should it be used to hold them ransom. No one should make those of us who have served feel as if it was a crime to do so by making it impossible for us to enjoy our civil rights in retirement.”

Mao – DP

Norbert Mao, the President of DP continues to enjoy a following on TV and social media. Mao who appears on NBS TV political show ‘Frontline’ is a darling of the viewers with his colourful submissions. One of his cunning submissions include: “My only advise to the Speaker Kadaga is that when you are in a hole, stop digging. The Baganda say, “tukibasuuzizza”, we have made them drop it.”

He continues to use the platform to reach out to young voters who believe he is a State House material.

He has also been outspoken during the arrest of legislator Zaake and the stand off between Parliament, executive and judiciary.

Dr. Besigye – FDC

The Tumukunde arrest has also seen Dr. Besigye active on social media dismissing President Museveni’s description of the former spy chief’s activities as subversion.

Dr Besigye remarked after the President’s interview with NBS TV on Monday night: “Dr. BesDP President Norbert Mao recently revealed Dr. Besigye told him he is a nobody in FDC. Subversion (undermining authority or power) in Uganda is an “offence” determined by Mr M7’s level of FEAR for opponent!”

The FDC leader scoffed: “It’s an expression of political cowardice. He’s always the complainant and has never produced anywhere close to credible evidence in court! Well be back Ndugu Tumukunde.”

Dr. Besigye has continued to stay active during Covid-19 by holding weekly briefings on the state of events on social media.

He recently blasted: “After months in the #COVID19 fight in Uganda; borrowing €600m to support the fight; passing a COVID supplementary budget; our medics, the frontline fighters, still don’t have the most basic requirements- PERSONAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT (PPE)!”