By Jane Nambi
The President Adviser Brigadier Kasirye Gwanga talked about the army takeover which President Museveni insinuated and Gen. Aronda Nyakairima confirmed as possible.
Brig. Gwanga said people should not be scared or worried about the President’s remarks because it was all a big confusion. “We are in the 21st century. You just don’t talk about military rule. If you want to tangle with (US president Barack) Obama, talk about military,” Brig. Ggwanga said.
While in Kyankwanzi during the NRM retreat, the President alluded to a possible military coup due to the confusion in parliament and warned that if the ‘confusion’ in parliament does not stop, it will happen. However, Brig. Gwanga said, “We, the military taking over? No way. May be what the President did not tell you is that we [the military] will go after his people … may be the President was quoted out of context.” He went on to add saying, “We did our work, fought the war, and handed the government to civilians. But these civilians are betraying us through corruption. This is where we shall step in to lock up all those accused of misusing the taxpayers’ money.”
“Look at those ministers siphoning money to private use. You think we are not watching? We have decided that whichever corrupt official gets bail, we shall take them to the military prison. They are let free to go and tamper with evidence and the next thing you hear is they are innocent.”
Brig. Gwanga is the president adviser on Buganda issues.
Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire also had words to say about the insinuation of the army take over saying, “I have heard that the UPDF have been talking about taking over the government. But I want to warn them that the role of the army is to defend the territorial integrity and the Constitution of Uganda not to hijack power. President Museveni was elected by the people to lead for five years and the parliament was elected by the people of Uganda,” he said during Theodore Ssekikubo’s graduation party in Lwemiyaga Constituency in Ssembabule on Sunday.
“Leave the government alone. The three arms of government work like brothers; they know how to solve their issues [without military intervention]. Every person has his or her lubimbi (sense of duty), the government does not belong to the president, not even parliament, power belongs to the people and the role of the executive is to ensure that we deliver services and it’s the role of parliament to ensure oversight,” he went on to add.
