The leader of People’s Front for Transition (PFT) Dr. Kizza Besigye has said he is hopeful there will be a day when Uganda will go through a peaceful handover of power but this will not be under President Museveni.
It follows recent political developments in Kenya that led to a peaceful change of power from Uhuru Kenyatta to William Ruto, leading to comparisons between Uganda and her neighbour to the East.
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Appearing on NBS TV’s Morning Breeze show, Besigye said Uganda, which last had a smooth and peaceful transfer of power at independence, is not about to emulate Kenya.
He said every change of power has been dogged with violence that has disrupted the country’s socio-economic and political stability.
He however believes that one day the country will experience the similar situation like it has happened in Kenya but this will need a lot of patience from Ugandans.
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“Frankly, I don’t envisage a day when Mr. Museveni will hand over to another president, but I envisage a day when he’ll be gone, whichever way he goes. I envisage it when he is gone. I envisage a day when Uganda will go through a peaceful handover of power but not under Mr. Museveni, “he said.
Besigye explained that the smooth transition he keeps talking about comes after power has been removed from those who control it by force to those who are being controlled by force.
“What we are talking about is a non-violent struggle, but even a violent struggle like the one some of us participated in Luweero was a legitimate struggle, and that’s the basis on which Mr. Museveni himself is in office,” he said.
He said Ugandans should not lose hope because Kenya was also once a one-party state under the firm grip of Daniel Arap Moi. This changed when people decided to resist dictatorship through massive protests and other civil means.