Besigye: No politician in the whole world fears elections the way Museveni does

Veteran opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye has ranked President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni as a leader that ranks first among those that dread elections.

Museveni has ruled Uganda since 1986.

He has won presidential elections since 1996.

Besigye has been Museveni’s fiercest critic for the last two decades.

In almost all polls, Besigye accused his bush war comrade of rigging his path to victory.

Now, Besigye says he has never seen a leader that fear elections as much as Museveni, Uganda’s long-serving leader.

Museveni is seeking to extend his rule to four decades.

In the January 14 election, Museveni will for the first time since 2001 not be competing with Besigye.

But he will not be free from competition.

He is up against Besigye protégé Patrick Oboi Amuriat (POA) of the main opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), two of his (Museveni’s) bush war comrades – former army commander Maj Gen (Rtd) Gregg Mugisha Muntu of the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), and former security minister Lt Gen (Rtd) Henry Kakurugu Tumukunde of the Renewed Uganda pressure group – Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine of the National Unity Platform (NUP), and Norbert Mao of the Democratic Party.

Others are: Joseph Kiiza Kabuleta, John Katumba, Willy Mayambala, Fred Mwesigye and Nancy Kalembe.

Besigye says the 2021 election, like others before, has thrown Museveni into fear, making him use state organs to hit real and perceived opponents and their allies.

“Mr Museveni takes the prize of a “leader” who fears an election most!” wrote Besigye, hours after it emerged that the Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA) had frozen accounts of Uganda NGO Forum and the Uganda Women’s Network (Uwonet) over suspected terrorism financing.

­He recalled an incident when the state confiscated thousands of dollars that Entebbe International Airport security personnel suspected would be delivered to his (Besigye’s) 2001 presidential election campaign.  

“In 2001, Airport Security confiscated $63,000- from someone suspecting he was bringing it from Rwanda to our campaign!” recalled Besigye.

“It was refunded several years later, after court orders, with millions in interest and damages!”