Date: Fri, 24 Oct 2014 21:54:14 +0200
<http://www.observer.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=34521:-
museveni-speaks-on-brig-muhoozi&catid=34:news&Itemid=114> Museveni speaks on
Brig Muhoozi
Written by deo walusimbi
Friday, 24 October 2014 01:32
In a revealing interview with BBC, President Museveni addressed a range of
topics from his sacking of former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi to his son
Brig Muhoozi Kainerugaba's much-talked-about presidential bid in 2021, as
well as appointment of his family members to top government positions.
He spoke to BBC Focus on Africa's Lebo Diseko in London this week. Deo
Walusimbi recorded the four-minute interview and below are excerpts.
Q: Was former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi sacked because he posed a threat
to your presidency?
Who told you that I sacked Mbabazi? I just appointed a new prime minister.
Q: Was he sacked because he would pose a threat to your candidacy.
No. we have had how many elections in Uganda? I always get competition.
Competition cannot be a problem at all.
Q: Many Ugandans would say that there was quite a bitter competition or
power struggle within the National Resistance Movement party.
Power struggle; if somebody is involved in a power struggle, that is a
problem, but competition is different. Power struggle is like intrigue,
because if it's competition, then it is according to the rules.
So, the speculation that I have sacked Mbabazi or what; is wasting your time
for nothing.
Q: There was quite a public and bitter break down in the relationship
between the two of you which relationship goes back 30 years; how difficult
was it for you?
We are not in public affairs for emotional reasons. These are not emotional
arrangements; these are issues of mission. So, when you are in a mission,
there is nothing personal. You are just given an assignment, you do it; by
your party; that is all. So, there is nothing emotional about it.
Q: This brings us to the question of succession; are you planning to run?
That is for the party, you have heard of what people call the party? It's
not me planning, that's where you are now mixing it up.
It is about what my party wants and what the country needs. We sit down as a
party and we assess what the country needs and what can the party offer and
then, who among us can. That is how we have done it all these years.
Q: There's talk that doesn't seem to go away that you are grooming your son
[Brigadier Muhoozi Kainerugaba, commander of Special Forces Command] to take
over from you.
That is an insult to me. Why should I groom my son [to take over from me]?
It's not a monarchy, it's not a feudal arrangement, it's a democratic order;
the people choose whoever they want and why should I waste my time that I am
grooming my son?
Q: You have said that it's not a monarchy, but there are several members of
your family in quite high positions of government; your brother-in-law [Sam
Kutesa] is minister for Foreign Affairs, your brother [General Salim Saleh]
is a senior presidential advisor on defence, your wife [Janet Museveni] is
the minister for Karamoja region.
There are a number of your family members in quite high positions; surely
you understand why people question that.
My brother, who is a general, went through fighting and, fighting is not a
privilege; it's a sacrifice. He joined our struggle when he was 16 years
old.
He was injured very badly; that is why he is in that position you are
talking about. My wife, against my advice, joined politics and she was
elected; that is what you call democracy, including disobeying husbands.
The other one, my brother-in-law, that one joined politics long ago before
my son married his daughter and it has nothing to do with the marriage of my
son and his daughter; he was already a politician.
Q: Can you understand why for some people it is a concern?
My wife, after defying me, she had the biggest majority in the whole
country; she won with the biggest margin of all members of Parliament; what
more democracy do you need?
http://www.observer.ug/images/stories/AU-Peace-and-Security-Council-on-Libya
-1.jpg
President Museveni
It's an insult to say I'm grooming him; Uganda is not a monarchy
(image/jpeg attachment: image001.jpg)