Kampala, Uganda | URN | Four-time Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate Dr.Kizza Besigye will not contest for the presidency this time. He announced this, in a press conference in Kampala today, ending speculation about his candidature as Uganda draws closer to the 2021 general election.
Besigye has contested for the presidency since 2001, losing the race to incumbent Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. However, he said, he has decided to drop elections as a path for Uganda’s liberation.
Besigye said that Elections is Plan A which he has decided to leave for another person while he takes care of his unrevealed plan B reiterating his all-time commitment that he will never leave the struggle to overthrow President Museveni’s regime before victory is achieved.
Before this declaration, Besigye arrived at the FDC headquarters in Najjanankumbi amidst ululations from diehard FDC supporters. He was received by party leaders including the President Patrick Oboi Amuriat, the spokesperson Ibrahim Ssemuju Nganda, Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, the party EC chairperson Toterebuka Bamwenda, the vice-chairperson Eastern Region Salaamu Musumba, and several others.
But chaos ensued when his supporters started erecting posters bearing his image and placards demanding that he picks nomination forms and take part in the 2021 election. However, Nganda asked his supporters to calm down as he prepared to talk to them and the country at large
He eventually told the supporters that the struggle to get Museveni out of power will not only rely on elections because Uganda’s democracy has been greatly tampered with.
Besigye then commenced his formal speech mainly narrating his journey in elective politics since 2001. He reiterated that he has won elections all the time he has stood against President Yoweri Museveni but the results were manipulated to keep the incumbent leader in power.
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Besigye assured his supporters that he has confidence in all the people who have picked Expression of Interest forms seeking nomination for the FDC presidential flag, among them, Wasswa Biriggwa and party president Patrick Oboi Amuriat. He adds that he will align his support to whoever will be duly nominated and elected presidential candidate for the FDC.
He also pledged his support for other opposition political players both in the 2021 elections and in another strategy of defiance whose details he declined to dwell deep into.
