The Museveni-Besigye debate

Why the president must be happy with the current debate between him and his leading critic

I have been following with keen interest the debate in the press between President Yoweri Museveni and opposition leader and activist, Dr. Kizza Besigye. From the standpoint of a democratic society, their media interviews and articles are a sign of healthy debate. In many ways therefore, Ugandans should be proud that the President and the most potent symbol of opposition to his government are engaged in a debate.

From a tactical point of view, I felt Besigye was able to secure a major victory. He has demonstrated Museveni’s inability to live and act within the law especially in the army and in his relations with parliament. Besigye’s devotes a lot of time on how first son, Brig. Muhoozi Keinerugaba was recruited into the army without following established procedures; Museveni’s choice of fashion reflected in his persistent use of a military uniform in spite of having retired from the army; how Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, the Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) salutes generals Salim Saleh and Elly Tumwine etc.

From a strategic point of view, however, Museveni must be celebrating. He has successfully kept Besigye engaged on minor issues that are of interest only to a small fanatical fringe of his critics. It is very possible that the vast majority of Ugandans find the issues Besigye is raising either minor or even irrelevant to their daily challenges. Almost every opinion poll on the attitudes of Ugandans towards government has shown that issues of vital concern to the electorate revolve around security, the economy (jobs, incomes, and poverty) and public service delivery.

But I know that Besigye takes little interest in opinion polls, a factor that has limited his ability to craft a message that resonates with voters. Instead, he wrongly assumes that the issues on which he disagrees with Museveni are shared by the vast majority of the voting public. This has been a major hindrance in his ability to appeal to a growing number of citizens increasingly disappointed with Museveni’s government.

Indeed, I suspect Museveni is keeping this debate alive but focused on his fashion preferences and who should salute who in UPDF to divert public attention from more fundamental issues that have beleaguered his presidency lately; like the increasing cost of living, poor agricultural policy, poor service delivery, rampant corruption, declining rate of economic growth and slow or stagnant rate of job creation.

In many ways therefore, Besigye is the opposition leader that Museveni prefers. For then, they are able to engage in a debate on issues detached from the reality of most Ugandans. I could feel the glee in Museveni’s responses – a sense of comfort regarding the issues under discussion. Assuming Besigye had challenged the president to explain why, if parliament is that subversive, it was possible for him to pass the amendment of the constitution to remove term limits on the presidency. This was perhaps the most difficult thing to ever be attempted by the president through a “recalcitrant and subversive” parliament. Why did he fail to do the same for Bujagali?

It is true Uganda’s parliament’s populism borders on being subversive to the national interest. But that does not make its subversion insurmountable whenever Museveni has needed his way. Rather, term limits affected his desire to retain power (and therefore a pecuniary interest) while Bujagali threatened Ugandans with darkness. I am willing to stand with Museveni against parliament and others who are blocking Karuma or the Entebbe expressway because of the productivity gains our country will get if these projects take off.

But why is our president not wearing his battle fatigues to push these vital national interests through a recalcitrant parliament like he did with term limits? I don’t care if Museveni wears an army uniform, a kanzu or Kaunda suit if he is able to push through large investment projects that will resolve transportation and energy bottlenecks our country is facing hence creation of jobs and increased productivity of our economy.

We need to engage the President on alternative policies for the country that would create jobs, increase and quicken trade, accelerate economic growth and deliver public goods like dams, roads, hospitals and schools; and public services like better health and education services. Agriculture, the sector on which 68 percent of Ugandans depend for a livelihood, has been growing at an annual rate of 1.9 percent for twenty years while population growth is 3.3 percent. This means that our country has negative per capita growth in food production. What is the president’s solution to this?

Yet Besigye constantly harps at Muhoozi and how he joined the army – as if Besigye himself used proper procedures to do so. The NRM broke the law to wage war against an elected government, looted cooperative stores to feed its troops, robbed banks to raise money and killed to capture power. How and why Besigye, who was part of such an enterprise, comes to believe that such a movement would be sanitised by power is always beyond me. We are reaping what was sowed in Luwero – impunity.

Back to Muhoozi: he is a very lucky man. His greatest promoters are his most virulent critics. Perhaps Museveni, like most human beings, would prefer his son to become president one day. I would also love my son to be president and if I had an opportunity to position him for such a job, I would try my best. The best way to promote a Muhoozi candidacy is to make him an issue. Repeated debates about Muhoozi’s presidential ambitions are good for his brand – for it registers in people’s minds that he is a contender for the job. Any silence on him is detrimental to this interest.

From this perspective, Besigye is to Muhoozi what Museveni was to him. From November 1999 when Besigye wrote his stinging criticism of NRM up to October 2000 when he declared his presidential bid, Museveni pursued Besigye with relentless zeal. Every day Besigye’s name was in the press with the President seeking to have him prosecuted. Inadvertently, Museveni was building the profile of Besigye as his most potent challenger, a profile Besigye used to launch his presidential bid. Besigye’s relentless efforts to make Muhoozi an issue will help Muhoozi’s profile – and effectively launch the first son’s presidential ambitions; if he wishes to run.

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Your analysis is biased.
written by Asiimwe, February 24, 2013

I think you are putting a spin on this to defend the president and his son. The line in paragraph 4 "...a factor that has limited his ability to craft a message that resonates with voters" is outright wrong. In truth Besigye's message has been bigger than the petty issues. His message has also usually resonated with voters. This is the reason why the government mostly in 2001 but also in 2006 had to unleash the security and rigging machineries and raid the central bank in 2011, to secure Besigye's defeat.

Your analysis is biased
written by Asiimwe, February 24, 2013

On Capital radio, you argued that the government cant allow Besigye to walk to work and you were right. Then you turn around and say that Besigye should be concerned about bread and butter issues, when you know, that walk to work, where he almost lost his sight, was about bread and butter. You also know how far govt went to stop him. Besigye was not made by Museveni. Museveni at best successfully sabotaged (some will say, cheated) Besigye. In a free and fair election, Besigye would have won in 2001. Besigye cannot make Muhoozi, he will have to make himself.

Muhoozi will have to make himself.
written by Asiimwe, February 24, 2013

The last line above should have been: Muhoozi will have to make himself.

Sir
written by David , February 24, 2013

The NRM broke the law to wage war against an elected government, looted cooperative stores to feed its troops, robbed banks to raise money and killed to capture power. How and why Besigye, who was part of such an enterprise, comes to believe that such a movement would be sanitised by power is always beyond me. We are reaping what was sowed in Luwero – impunity.

...
written by Omeros, February 24, 2013

"How and why Besigye, who was part of such an enterprise, comes to believe that such a movement would be sanitised by power is always beyond me. We are reaping what was sowed in Luwero – impunity." How very revealing. Not even you, apparently, any longer believe in or else appear to have forgotten the political justification for M7's bush war. Perhaps memories need refreshing. The justification was to rid Uganda of her errant political leaders. The justification was to establish a better way. The blood spilled in Luweero and elsewhere was a means to, and was repeatedly claimed to have been justified by, the end of a functional Uganda.

...
written by Omeros, February 24, 2013

Exercising power properly and with clean hands in the post-conflict environment was to have substantiated that original justification. But M7 and his fellow travellers could not help themselves once in office and proceeded to behave much in the manner of the politicians they had ousted. From a political standpoint, it is wholly necessary for Besigye - as an opponent of the President and an apostate in the world of the NRM - to seek to undermine that justification and to remind Ugandans how vain were those lives lost in the effort to bring M7 to power and, by painting him as a traitor to the revolution, to erode the moral and political authority on which M7 has been dining out all these years.

...
written by Omeros, February 24, 2013

'I would also love my son to be president and if I had an opportunity to position him for such a job, I would try my best.' Really? Even if your son demonstrably lacked the political chops for the office of President? Even if, leaving to one side his obvious unsuitability for the Presidency, your son was an awkward neophyte in the world of politics - never having held elected political office or indeed a job of any kind outside of the armed forces? Even if you thought that his backstory was far from compelling and a difficult sell to a skeptical public which associates with you the rampant incidence of the corruption and nepotism plaguing the country and regards your son as the emblem of that corruption and nepotism? Really?

...
written by Omeros, February 24, 2013

Why do you feel the need to say such things? You really have blotted your copy on a number of issues in recent times.

...
written by mem, February 24, 2013

Mwenda recently you have really been intriging! Even when you make some efforts to criticise the president, you still do it in away as to make him a saviour of sort. For example, tell me how parliament os blocking Entebbe Express Highway or Karuma. Who does not know that it is corruption in government that is failing those projects as it has done with any large project in the country. M7's government cannot now undertake a big project becuase ciorruption will derail it.

...
written by mem, February 24, 2013

This is mainly due to impunity and the fact that cooruption is linked to M7 survival in power. How can a president that used corruption to secure himself in power by changing the constitution manage to fight corruption? M7 knows every penny that is swindled because these swindlers eventually use the money to support his presidency for life project. It for example known by all and sundry that Obey is one of the biggest M7 funders in Eastern Ug. Tell me now how M7 can fight him. After all the scandal that has involved M7 or his family or cohorts that have derailed many projects, others use this as an example of his support to corruption and they themselves decide to do the same with government unable to stop them or as accomplice.

...
written by mem, February 24, 2013

Therefore projects in Ug are not being stopped by anybody outside government but impunity derived from learning from what M7 and his cohorts have done in the past and the fact that these projects are used to serve the life presidency effort through rewarding of cronies and patronage. A government that is only pre-occupied with survival can never undertake large scale projects quickly and efficiently. Thats why other countries like Ethiopia can easily build a 4000 mw power dam but we cant even get a 600mw one off the ground.

Mr
written by Sammi, February 24, 2013

According to Ms Ramphele, the quintessential activist, academic and intellectual, “no single liberation movement, including the Russian Communist Party, has been able to transform into a democratic party”. Further, in Ramphele’s view, the mindset of a liberation movement is diametrically opposed to the one needed in a democracy.

...
written by Gen Adam Kifaliso, February 24, 2013

Andrew , it seems senile dementia has caught up with you , m7 has a better memory than you now , though this article could have been written by Muhoozi , Andrew you chose to do it for him , tell me of any project m7 has successfully finished , not even Bujagali , why talk of Karuma ? are involved in some kitu kidogo with Karuma ? Andrew talk of people in your village who keep money in mattresses or ministers hoarding tones of money in storage, tell me the commercial value of Entebbe expressway , the only good thing is that Winnie wont understand the article and she wont pollute our page with obscenities

Expected of Mwenda
written by Richard, February 25, 2013

I got feed up of Mwenda’s crap and I only read this column to catch up with what the likes of great omeros, Denis Musingunzi, and to some extent Ocheto and Nambi Immaculate etc. Again, I find Mwenda’s analysis lacking in this article, just like many of his have become over a period of time. E.g. compare his with what Omeros is pointed out in just a couple of lines or see Onyango Obbos analysis://www.monitor.co.ug/OpEd/OpEdColumnists/CharlesOnyangoObbo/Why-the-Museveni-Besigye-debates-take-us-back-to-the-Obote-days/-/878504/1698876/-/7kvkya/-/index.html

To Omeros
written by Andrew M. Mwenda, February 25, 2013

Omeros, that is my point i.e. that Besigye was (and still is) deluded to think that given the path they chose to power, they could become different when they captured it. You cannot use impunity to end impunity or fight corruption corruptly. I do not see how, a movement that was determined to use all means - violence, robbery, terrorism etc to - secure power would abandon the use of all means to retain it. NRM has always been a military organisation with political objectives. In many ways, and compared to other movements like itself - in Cuba, China, Vietnam, Angola, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda (with perharps the possible exception of Mozambique) it has democratised the most. Comparatively Besigye should therefore be happy and satisfied. You reap what you sowed.

-1

To Omeros
written by Andrew M. Mwenda, February 25, 2013

On the issue of Muhoozi, I find most commentary by Ugandans unrealistic, hypocrical or both. First, nepotism is a natural human instinct and has helped us be who we are. We all desire the best for those closest to us, especially our biological offsprings. I expect nothing less from Museveni. He is human. Indeed, evolutionary psychology tells us that those humans who were not selfish enough to propage the interests of their genes got extinct and are therefore not our ancestors - even tho residues of their genes are still with us. Richard Dawkins "The Selfish Gene" and Steven Pinker's "How the Mind Works" illustrate this point best. That is why the most durable system of organising states for millenia has been monarchy; democracy & republicanism being blinks in historical time of states.

-3

To Omeros
written by Andrew M. Mwenda, February 25, 2013

Now, your point about the competences of Muhoozi as a leader are your personal opinion. Museveni may be having his - perhaps believing that Muhoozi is the most intelligent man (after him) capable of leading Uganda. Your argument that Muhoozi has never worked in any other institution other than the army cannot be sold to Museveni who became president having never - ever - worked in any other institution. A brief look at his cv: Kyamate primary school, Ntare School, Dar Es Salam University, six months as a researcher in Obote's office, rural cooperative school teacher, war lord (or freedom fighter - which ever side u sit) then president. And many others like Fidel Castrol, Ho Chi Minh and other revolutionaries of that ilk did not have the credentials to be president

-1

To Omeros
written by Andrew M. Mwenda, February 25, 2013

Indeed, the argument you are using against Muhoozi is similar to the one republicans were using against your hero, Obama i.e. the "lack of experience" argument. From community organiser to Senator for four years, they said, he was not qualified to be president. All of what you say about Muhoozi are your opinons - largely based on little or no close knowlege of him. And Omeros, opinions are like noses, everybody has one. I am sure Muhoozi's friends have a different view of his credentials from the ones you have outlined above. For example, I know him well and find him intelligent, curious, conversant with politics (he has grown in it although he has not actively and directly participated in it). he is a good listener, cautious, not imposing like is dad etc. he has his weaknesses as well.

-3

To Omeros
written by Andrew M. Mwenda, February 25, 2013

Here is my point: those who think Muhoozi should not be president should make a different case other than his parentage. Assuming he has presidential ambitions, should the fact that his father was president disqualify him? Assuming Museveni wants his son to be president, and uses all legal and legitimate ways to help him, is there anything wrong with that? I would criticise Museveni for using illegal, crooked means to help his son become president, not for his desire to make him so. I cannot argue on the right of every Ugandan who qualifies to seek the office of president and then seek to exclude Muhoozi from such a right on the basis that his father was president.

-5

To Omeros
written by Andrew M. Mwenda, February 25, 2013

Omeros, I felt that Besigye raised a good point i.e. that Muhoozi did not join the army through the right legal procedures. I only felt that this is a tactical point. Strategically, I do not know how many Ugandans, outside of a narrow elite in Kampala, think this is an important issue that concerns their lives. I think the opposition has been off-message for a long time. Nicolas de Torrente, then leading the "Deepening Democracy Program" (the organisation that was giving FDC/Besigye shs 400m per year in funding) wrote a paper on this subject that you should read. He examined the seven opinion polls done asking voters what concerned them the most in the elections. the paper details how the opposition was detached from the concerns of voters.

-1

...
written by Gen Adam Kifaliso, February 25, 2013

The Andrew's answers to Omero , his intellectual nemesis ,show that Andrew has never been out of his village , Uganda and in real time out of African of the past century, I'm sure Andrew despite considering himself as a local philosopher of Socrates magnitude he still finds difficult understanding the pillars of democracy ,because democracy is never taught ,nor red but lived . I can understand why Andrew thinks m7 should promote his son so fast and try to give him his seat , for m7 its normal and yet not normal according when Andrew is eating ,well I don't regard Andrew's den to be the center of politics or the heaven of skepticism .Andrew as time has shown respects the hand that feeds him , Long live Democracy

Go Andrew eduacte us.
written by winnie, February 25, 2013

For me democracy is the bigest joke the Bazungu gave Africans i wonder how we even dare belive that are our problems are solved by democray we can stop at the rule of law after all i have never heard any one eat democracy and were satisified.you are so right in your analysis most of our precious time is spent on attacking the 1st family even if an ocheto or mukasa steals money its not a big deal but mention muhoozi every one wakes up. Am so proud to be a ugandan because of razor sharp guys like you Andrew.you are not a hypocrite like most ugandans actually most guys in your professional are afarid of teling the truth for fear of being labelled Pro Museveni or Besigye as a result they do things to please the public.

Adam
written by winnie, February 25, 2013

They should lower the age limit for presidential candidates to 45 years after M7 has voluntarliy retired (not this stuff of forcing him out) so that the usual presidental candiates give us a break after all just a mere sight of them is an eyesoar.Let me interpret for you the king's analysis i know most guys like you and some Richard up there dont understand English the King is simply saying lets get real and discuss more developmental issues(Full STOP) 1st relax there are so many grammatical errors and misspellings in your sick comments you dont have to rush to say nothing 1st relax & try to at least reason.You dont know the use of a road i will tell some baby class child from Lincon International to educate u on the benefits of a road.

...
written by Khim, February 26, 2013

andrew you were compromised along time ago. actually what besigye is writing about eg muhoozi is of interest to many of us. so to say that besigye is not addressing the real issues is to trigger of your obscurantist manoeuvrings. what you wrote down as issues are what were mentioned before and when NRM took power. so there is nothing new about details of our poverty, health, poor service delivery, corruption etc etc.

...
written by Omeros, February 26, 2013

"On the issue of Muhoozi, I find most commentary by Ugandans unrealistic, hypocrical or both. First, nepotism is a natural human instinct and has helped us be who we are." A human faculty, a quintessentially human faculty, is the capacity to resist those impulses and desires that arise, as you would say, naturally. It is entirely human to be self-abnegating and not to submit at every turn to one's own cupidity. If self-discipline is an attribute that you do not think Museveni to possess, then say that. Do not say that anyone who criticises Museveni for indulging his worst instincts is a hypocrite - because that is plainly untrue. Those types of argument are more revealing of you than they are of M7's critics.

...
written by Omeros, February 26, 2013

'I would criticise Museveni for using illegal, crooked means to help his son become president, not for his desire to make him so.' Perhaps you might do well to question that desire. The ready bestowal of unjust advantage should tell you everything about the integrity of the President's motives and the extent of the means to which he will go to achieve his intended end.

Muhoozi
written by Peter, February 26, 2013

Andrew am your fan but you seem to be contradicting yourself and allot recently.Besigye mentions Muhoozi's illegal recruitment into the UPDF while senior soldiers have insinuated and questioned Muhoozi's accelerated promotion in the army.To attend the course in the USA,he had to be hastily promoted to a major to qualify.Don't you have the insight to see that Museveni is already 'illegaly' preparing him for the presidency.

Muhozi debate
written by Peter, February 26, 2013

All that started with the illegal recruitment into the army and two wrongs do not make a right so let us not be held hostage by this 1981 inception of the guerrilla struggle.Andrew you are indirectly or directly being used to bolster Muhoozi's image not Besigye.Sorry but from the above article you appear to be the puppet,the master is obvious and the omeros, Besigye's etc of the world can see it for what it is.How you cannot see that M7 is already illegaly clearing the path for his son to succeed him is-to use your words-beyond me!

...
written by Omeros, February 26, 2013

"Besigye was (and still is) deluded to think that given the path they chose to power, they could become different when they captured it." I don't think that Besigye is deluded (and, I suspect, neither do you). Rather, the line of reasoning I rehearsed was the political arguments that Besigye is compelled by the particularity of his situation to make. Besigye is a historical but a fallen one. He wants to criticise the President and suggest that he or his party can do better. He wants to take the credit for the positive developments of the NRM era but saddle the NRM with the blame for the calamities of that same era.

...
written by Peter, February 26, 2013

Andrew, Muhoozi's grades from PLE,UCE & UACE were at best very average.To be honest many who were with him from primary to secondary confirm he was very average in KPS,Budo and SMACK.Maybe he is a late developer and I am one who does not beleive one must have exceptional paper grades like you Andrew to be SMART.You can be book smart,street smart,natural smart,the common word here is 'smart'.M7 was also a very average student and frankly there is not much intellectual horse power in any of his speeches over the last 7 years.So yes Muhoozi was probably never book smart but is smart in your opinion.When everyone has an opinion I guess we have to resort to the grades to define 'intelligent'.All this is said without prejudice.

...
written by Omeros, February 26, 2013

How does he do that? By arguing along current lines. By saying that Museveni has taken a wrong turn. By saying that latter day NRM values are incompatible with its founding ideals. Those are arguments that he actually has no choice but to make. I will read the paper you mention - thanks for the recommendation.

Part 2?
written by pacol, February 26, 2013

I was of the opinion that KB was to bring out issues concerning the economy, social services and so on in a later issue! Are we all jumping the gun? However KB outlines the immoral, macabre character traits M7 exhibits in his methods to get what he wants i.e the 'illegal" Muhoozi Project. In retrospect plundering the treasury to buy and election is an accusation, even by ordinary standards, that any Ugandan citizen must now surely undoubtedly believe! Andrew where are we going with this kind of modus operandi as a country, surely there must be somebody sane left !?

Museveni and NRM are Obligated to Deliver on their Promises
written by Ocheto, February 26, 2013

It is really unfortunate and a cop out to suggest that just because the NRM gained power through violent means they shouldn’t be held accountable for the way they have governed and are governing. The USA was founded through a violent revolution led by Washington but it didn't justify or presuppose a Washington dynasty like all these corrupt, detestable regimes you cite. NRM made a promise to bring democracy to Uganda in a matter of years not decades or centuries. So Ugandans have a political right to expect them to hold to their end of the bargain, to meet their obligations. Short of that they are still illegitimate. As for wondering into silly debates, Besigye has held his ground regards of the distractionary, simple-minded tactics.

Andrew Shame on you!
written by Miss Uganda, February 26, 2013

Is it just me, or was this article incensing ? Andrew we all know you are Muhoozi’s friend, but shouldn’t your publication be above this petty camaraderie influence.
It’s like a part of you was driven to snatch KB’s victory ( in this debate) out of his hands hook or crook, i.e turn an outright victory to the vanquished advantage. How sad. M7 must be a really sad man, if he finds any comfort in KB’s rebuttle! If he can consider the way he has been thoroughly exposed as any reason to celebrate then he must be either more delusional than I thought or you are a day dreamer.