Muntu: Why I won’t get drunk on power like Museveni

Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) 2021 presidential flag bearer Maj Gen (Rtd) Gregg Mugisha Muntu has promised not to overstay in power like his former ally Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni.

Maj Gen (Rtd) Muntu was part of the 1981-86 bush war fighters in the National Resistance Army (NRA) struggle that brought incumbent president Museveni into power.

In his inaugural speech, Museveni diagnosed the problem of Africa as leaders who overstay in power.

Now in power for almost 35 years, the 76-year-old general is seeking reelection to extend his rule to four decades.

Muntu, like other bush war veterans Col (Rtd) Dr Kizza Besigye and Lt Gen (Rtd) Henry Kakurugu Tumukunde, fell out with Museveni after the for bush war commander diverted from the ideals of the revolution.

Riding on his ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party’s numbers in Parliament, Museveni is accused of pushing for the removal of term and age limits from the constitution to ensure he overstays in power.

A first-time presidential candidate, Muntu, seen by many as a moderate (somewhere between the government’s and mainstream opposition’s extremes), says he will not get drunk on power if elected in the January 14 election.

“We have had different presidents since 1962. Except for one, the rest got drunk on power upon entering State House. We also came with Gen Museveni. We also came with Gen Museveni believing that we were going to do amazing things and get the country back on track. Somewhere along the way, something got into his head and he got drunk on power,” Muntu said in one of his recent campaign speeches.

“Don’t think that thing that is in State House, that has corrupted the past presidents, will evaporate the day Museveni leaves power. No, it will still be there, waiting whoever will succeed him. So, we need to elect people who are incorruptible.”

The former army commander and ex-president of main opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) added that he had a clean record and could be trusted with power.

“Trust me with your votes because I won’t be corrupted by power. I have a good track record. Whoever votes me will not be gambling because I have a track record; it’s not guesswork, there is evidence.”