Is former prime minister planning a political comeback?
A new political group comprising youth activists who were allied to former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi has begun mobilising to fight perceived plans to abolish the 75-year-age limit on presidential candidates in the constitution.
The group, Uganda Youth Activists for Change (UYA4C), has one foot in the ruling NRM party, but is opposed to the extension of President Museveni’s rule after his current term of office ends in 2021.
“We are fundamentally and ideologically members of the NRM party who are against Museveni’s injustices and machinations intended to keep him as president for life,” said Vincent Kaggwa, the group’s national coordinator.
Kaggwa is one of the few leaders in the pro-Mbabazi youths camp that did not cross back to the main NRM fold ahead of the February elections.
“This is a new revolution,” he said. “We are mobilising NRM supporters who are against the lifting of the presidential age-limit to rise up against Museveni’s machinations to amend the constitution so that he can stand again in 2021.”
The group launched its activities on November 14 at a press conference held at Ebenezer gardens, Mpererwe, near Kampala. There were about 20 youths, including former NRM flag bearers in this year’s local council elections.
At Mpererwe, they arrived dressed in ordinary clothes but moments before they addressed journalists, the youths changed to yellow T-shirts emblazoned with: Kisanja hakuna muchuzi (term without flavor).
ACTIVITIES
Besides the T-shirts, the group had other printed materials such as hardcover register books, calendars and plastic identity cards. According to Kaggwa, they intend to move across the country registering NRM supporters ahead of their planned activities to oppose the anticipated constitutional amendment on Article 102(b) that caps the age for presidential aspirants at 75.
“We are championing this cause from within NRM [because] we are the true stakeholders of [the party],” Kaggwa said.
In Kampala, they intend to run activities counter to those of Kampala minister Beti Namisango Kamya who in September announced that she would lead Museveni’s campaign for a sixth elective presidential term.
“She spoke as though she doesn’t know that there is a constitutional limit [but] her statements tell one thing; they already have a plan to change the constitution to make Museveni rule forever,” Kaggwa said.
“This we will not accept; the struggle we are taking on is a do-or-die struggle, and we want to tell President Museveni not to be misled by Beti Kamya because if she couldn’t mobilise for herself votes, how can she get him the 80 percent that she promised?” Kaggwa added.
They also plan to campaign against the January 26 NRM liberation day that they say has been abused by the state to be about the person of Museveni.
MBABAZI CONNECTION?
The close past working relationship between some of the new group’s leaders and Mbabazi has raised suspicion that the 2016 presidential candidate could be reviving his political career. Mbabazi has been quiet since his dismal performance in the February 18 presidential elections, and the subsequent futile petition at the Supreme court.
However, Jamilah Kajumba, one of the group’s leaders denied any connection to Mbabazi’s Go Forward. She said their group is majorly-composed of NRM youths that are mindful of the future of Uganda.
But one of the members who spoke on condition of anonymity claimed that the former NRM secretary general was aware of the group’s activities.
“This [campaign] is part of a series of planned activities although [Mbabazi] himself may not come out now but he is aware,” he said.
Mbabazi himself did not answer our phone calls or respond to our text messages. His spokeswoman, Maggie Lukowe, told The Observer that the former premier doesn’t know about the group.
sadabkk@observer.ug