“If I lose elections, I have got a job at home. I am a cattle keeper.” This is how President Yoweri Museveni, the presidential flag-bearer for the National Resistance Movement (NRM), answered a question from journalists on whether he would accept defeat if he lost the February 2016 presidential elections.
Museveni also said he would abide by the constitutionally set 75 yearage- limit for presidents and retire peacefully.” On the 75-year age limit, I will follow the Constitution,” he said.
Museveni was addressing journalists at Arua State Lodge as he winds up the West Nile campaigns.
Article 102 (b) of the Constitution states that a person is qualified for election as President when he or she is not less than 35 years old and not more than 75 years.
This article has of late courted controversy with some actors petitioning the Constitutional Court to interpret what happens when a serving president clocks 75 years while still serving his current term.
The NRM candidate, who is also the incumbent, also dismissed claims minted on him by Opposition actors that he is power hungry.
“I am not power-hungry. I am mission hungry,” he said, emphasising that he is in politics not to look for power but to accomplish certain missions such as the East African Community federation and socio-economic transformation of the country.
Proven record
Arguing that he cannot be intimidated not to pursue his aspirations by Opposition actors such as Dr. Col. Kizza Besigye, Museveni said he cannot abandon the country to people who have no mission.
“I cannot be intimidated by people who have no mission,” he said, describing himself as a man with a proven record in the country.
“Why did Besigye and Mbabazi think that by getting rid of a man with a proven record they can accomplish our mission rather than working with people of experience to solve the problems of Uganda?” he asked.
On the other hand, Museveni said that when Besigye left the army in 2001, he left behind several unsolved issues such as cattle rustling in Karamoja, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in Rwenzori and Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in northern Uganda.
“Besigye keeps saying ‘agende’ (let him go). But we solved all these problems of Kony, cattle rustling in Karamoja and ADF in Rwenzori without Besigye. Uganda is now peaceful.”
Museveni also downplayed Besigye’s suggestion to increase teachers’ salaries as reckless and irresponsible.
The NRM leader said by spending more on the wage bill, which is monthly and constant, and not the infrastructure projects such as dams and roads, Besigye was putting the cart before the horse.
“Paying about 1,600 primary teachers more than sh600,000 per month means that you will not work on the roads. That is irresponsible and typical of people like Besigye.
“Besigye wants to destroy this by his reckless method of increasing the wage bill and not infrastructure. Salaries are monthly and once you start, you can’t stop, while a dam is built once,” he said.
