By Aggrey Baba
(Accuses M7 of turning politics into a comedy show, exploiting aged Ali to prove ‘age is just a number,’ as Bwanika moves to block comic presidential aspirants)
Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago has advised Ugandans to consider suing the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) in court over what he called the exploitation of the elderly Deputy Prime Minister, Gen. Moses Ali.
Lukwago made the remarks during a weekend political talk show on Buganda Kingdom’s CBS radio. He said Gen. Ali, is now too old to make independent political decisions, yet the NRM continues to use him for its own benefit.
According to Lukwago, Gen. Ali’s situation is similar to a legal case where court is asked to stop an elderly or sick person from managing their own estate, and instead appoints someone else with a sound mind to take charge. He said the NRM should have advised Ali to retire with dignity, but President Museveni has kept him in politics to give the impression that age cannot limit one from leading.
Lukwago explained that Ugandans should step in and file a case on Ali’s behalf, since he may not be in position to fight for himself. He argued that this would save both Ali and the people of Adjumani, who also deserve fresh representation.
During the same radio show, Lukwago also criticised President Museveni for what he described as the “bastardization of politics” in Uganda. He said Museveni allows unserious presidential hopefuls to contest so that Ugandans end up comparing them with him and conclude that he remains the only “serious” choice.
As an example, Lukwago referred to a presidential aspirant who appeared at the Electoral Commission (EC) dressed in a short that looked as though it had been cut with scissors. When asked for academic papers, the man said he did not have any, claiming that his wife, Nakato, had removed his own certificates and replaced them with hers. The same aspirant was also seen eating chapati and beans (kikomando) at the EC offices.
Lukwago said such incidents are not accidental. Instead, he believes they are tolerated by Museveni to make the presidency look like a joke. This, he argued, makes Museveni appear as the only capable option despite public fatigue with his long stay in power.
Also on the panel was Kimanya-Kabonera MP and three-time presidential candidate, Dr. Abed Bwanika. He said he is drafting a private member’s bill that would bar unserious individuals [badikuula] from contesting for the presidency.
Bwanika said he will seek permission from the Speaker of Parliament to present the bill once Parliament resumes. He explained that the intention is to stop Uganda from becoming a laughing stock internationally because of such candidates.
Bwanika also took a swipe at National Unity Platform (NUP) president, Robert Kyagulanyi, saying that when asked on international television about Uganda’s democracy, Kyagulanyi only replied that Uganda has fertile soil.
But Lukwago and other panelists disagreed with Bwanika. They said he did not listen to Kyagulanyi’s full submission, and that the NUP leader’s comments about fertile land were part of a longer and more serious answer.
