{UAH} KYANKWANZI RESOLUTION BENEFITS MUSEVENI RIVALS TOO

News to the effect that serial winner Yoweri Museveni had received
endorsement from MPs at Kyankwanzi for his 2016 electoral project
wasn't news to some of us. In the last short while, aides of the
President have freely and separately revealed that he would contest in
2016. Examples are the President's spokesman, Tamale Mirundi and
Ronald Kibuule, who is also Minister of State for Youths and Children.
The aura surrounding the big man alone tells a lot.

Museveni as a man tends to keep everybody guessing till the very last
moment. As it was in 2005, so was it in 2010 and so shall it be next
year. He always attributes his decision on public demand which he,
characteristically, never lets down. "The people" are already
expressing "their need" through their MPs in a sure deal procedure,
judging from history. This rural-set venue is where, in 2002, call for
term limit expurgation talk began. It was actualized with amendment of
the constitution in time for 2006. During the ensuing term, the area
was rewarded with district status.

Non-NRM members and Museveni opponents were most startled by the
latest act at Kyankwanzi. One wonders why. The whole thing was an
internal exercise of one of the structures in the NRM. "Outsiders"
have no business minding what decisions are made there in unless there
is illegality. Making use of an analogy from the soccer world, one
team cannot determine which players a rival team fields. That would be
early capitulation. Some are resorting to name calling the MPs as
"beggars", "bootlickers", "scarecrows", and so on, which is no way to
court their support by any democratic chance. Without going into the
merits and demerits of their decision, and motivations thereof, the
MPs exercised free will. Bigger news is, their "desire" isn't the
ultimate.

There are more hurdles for Museveni to leap over before standing at
the rostrum to take oath. Within NRM, the party National Executive
Committee (N.E.C), Central Executive Committee (C.E.C) and National
Conference (N.C) must all make endorsement of one. Once a candidate is
through with that vetting, next stop-over is the Electoral Commission
(E.C) nomination desk. Then, open campaigns, general elections and
swearing in. This chain process provides as much opportunity for
adversaries to try and block him.

Each of the Kyankwanzi MPs is worth just one vote, so is Museveni; as
it is with other eligibles. By any means, the Museveni camp cannot
raise 400 votes from the retreat to bolster the 2016 drive. The
millions of determinant ticks and thumb prints are still out there for
the taking. Unhappy circles have no excuse to give up now.

Kyankwanzi II is a blessing for creditable opponents much as the forum
intended to throw prospective contenders off balance with the message
that NRM has a solid candidate who is experienced and needs no
interruption. It's not the first time they will be meeting Museveni at
the polls and therefore, they should be acquainted with his tricks.
What better advantage than facing a familiar opponent?

This chance will be lost on lethargic contenders; who prefer an easy
win; who don't want to interface with the teeming publics, remaining
in Kampala and other small nooks without a network to talk of,
expecting to implant on people's hearts magically. Anybody you see
talking down Museveni's Kyankwanzi endorsement is afraid of what it
takes to win the Presidency of a competitive nation like Uganda.

Robert Atuhairwe

Authored on Tuesday 11/02/2014

--
"TRY TO GROW UP!" "TINYEJJUSA" "WHEN PRESIDENT MUSEVENI SAYS 'ORDERS
FROM ABOVE' HE MEANS ME" "EVERY BULLET THAT MISSES A SOLDIER CATCHES A
CIVILIAN" "WHATEVER I DO, WHATEVER I DON'T, WILL DO IT LIKE
MBARBERZEE"