Daily Monitor
Monday, April 16, 2012
President Museveni will step down in 2016 if his ruling National Resistance Movement party asks him to.
Mr Museveni made the declaration on Friday during
an interview with the American television network, CNN. “I can leave
power anytime, but if it is discussed and approved by my party,” he
said.
Mr Museveni, in power since 1986, is one of the
longest-serving African leaders. He defended his long grip on power,
saying he had earned the mandate of the people through elections,
although independent observers have questioned the integrity of all four
elections.
The President has repeatedly passed the question of
his retirement to his party, which he controls closely, but the latest
declaration comes amid growing calls within the NRM for Mr Museveni to
step down or name his departure date.
Mr Mike Mukula, the NRM vice chairperson in Eastern
Uganda and Soroti Municipality MP, yesterday it was time for the party
to openly debate the succession question.
“I think there is a growing
feeling among the party members that this should be President
Museveni’s last term,” Mr Mukula, who is one of the party officials who
have indicated they might be interested in replacing Museveni, told
Daily Monitor.
“It is important to note that he can still serve in other
capacities, among them the chairperson of the party and when the East
African political federation takes off, he can serve as its president
because he would be the most experienced then for that job.”
However, Lwemiyaga County MP Theodore Ssekikubo,
one of the growing number of gadflies in the NRM, said Mr Museveni
should take responsibility and lead the succession process instead of
passing the buck to the party.
With growing urban unrest fuelled by unemployment,
rising cost of living and antipathy towards corruption at all levels of
government, Mr Museveni is increasingly coming under pressure to call
time on his long political career.
Last week, the Catholic Archbishop of Kampala, Dr
Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, urged Mr Museveni to peacefully relinquish power
in 2016, saying it was the best gift he could give to the citizens of
Uganda.
A similar call was echoed by the Anglican assistant
Bishop of Kampala, Zac Niringiye, who is taking early retirement to
campaign for the restoration of presidential term limits.
The term
limits, which would have forced Mr Museveni to stand down in 2006, were
scrapped in a process that did not enjoy popular appeal and after MPs
were bribed to support the move.
Mr Museveni, however, told CNN that debate on term
limits and his longevity in office were not a priority. “What is
important for Uganda,” he said, “is to deal with the country’s
[development] bottlenecks and not who should be the President.”
Despite the President’s comment, debate on
succession within the NRM has always been a no-go area, partly due to
the President’s grip on the party. An upcoming meeting of the party’s
National Executive Committee, which runs the party, will provide a
theatre for those interested in dislodging Mr Museveni to attempt to
make the matter a subject of debate.