By Ahura Mujuni Mark
As the ruling National Resistance Movement Celebrated the 27th anniversary in leadership ,the former FDC president ,Col .Kizza Besigya expressed his thoughts about President Museveni’s leadership ,he credited him for restoring peace and security in the country but blames him for going off the intentions of fighting in the bush.
He says the corruption in the country has even become unbelievable ,with numerous scandals coming up every day .He also criticizes the use of public resources by the top leaders at the expense of the poor masses .He cited the poor people mostly in the Eastern region who have suffered to an extent of being eaten up by jiggers as the leader live in luxury .He also questions the way many industries belonging to government were sold off but with no accountability of those funds .
“I supported the intentions of the bush war which brought the NRM to power ,but I am ashamed of what is going on in this leadership.” Besigye was quoted as saying in an interview on Wednesday. Besigye blames the NRM government for failing to implement the clear set objectives that took President Museveni to the bush.
On peace and security Besigye appreciates the peace which was brought about by the NRM government because people can sleep and wake up unharmed unlike in the previous regimes.
Besigye contested in Uganda’s 2001, 2006 and 2011 presidential elections, but lost all to Yoweri Museveni.Besigye served as Museveni’s personal physician in the National Resistance Army (NRA), and after the group’s ascent to power in 1986 held ministerial appointments in the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government.
In 1989, Besigye re-joined the army, first as a battalion commander, then as the chief of logistics and engineering. This firsthand knowledge of military deals made him cynical about NRM leadership, particularly where military procurement was concerned.
In 1998, he applied to leave the army after publicly criticising top figures in the military and government. But the fallout between the two men started in earnest in 1999 when, still serving as an army officer, Kizza Besigye started attacking Museveni’s regime for “losing track” of the original ideals of the NRA’s bush war. He cited corruption, nepotism, and other undemocratic tendencies.
