Former premier promises boost to health system if elected

Presidential candidate, Mr Patrick Amama Mbabazi at Arua Hill grounds on Monday. He promised to ensure that there is constant supply of electricity in West Nile. PHOTO | FELIX WAROM OKELLO

What you need to know:

  • Independent presidential candidate Amama Mbabazi has said good leaders do not die in power, but mentor and prepare citizens to develop succession capacity.
  • Mr Mbabazi said there is nothing new that his rival and NRM flag bearer President Museveni can do in the next five years which he failed in the last 30 years in power.
  • Mr Mbabazi served in various senior positions in President Museveni’s government and was prime minister when he was sacked from Cabinet in September 2014.

KITGUM, Sunday

Independent presidential candidate Amama Mbabazi has said good leaders do not die in power, but mentor and prepare citizens to develop succession capacity.

While campaigning at Kitgum Public School, Mr Mbabazi cited countries with leaders who do not cling to power such as Tanzania, whose president, Julius Nyerere (RIP), retired after 24 years in leadership.

He handed over to Ali Hassan Mwinyi, who retired after 10 years, then Benjamin Mkapa and Jakaya Kikwete, who also relinquished power to John Pombe Magufuli.

Mr Mbabazi said there is nothing new that his rival and NRM flag bearer President Museveni can do in the next five years which he failed in the last 30 years in power.

“Give me a chance to become your president so that I can make a change in this country. As much as I was in the system, there is no way I could perform the duties of the President,” Mr Mbabazi said.

Mr Mbabazi served in various senior positions in President Museveni’s government and was prime minister when he was sacked from Cabinet in September 2014.

Mr Mbabazi said he wants to establish a competent government to provide services to the people.

“We want the rule of law to take root in Uganda. We want everyone to be subject to the law and no one above the law,” says Amama Mbabazi.

He pledged to revamp health services from the current state of shortage of drugs and medics.

Meanwhile, Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate, Dr Kizza Besigye, has scoffed at speculation by some people that President Museveni could cause war if he loses the February 18 general election.

WILL CAUSE WAR

He said there is propaganda doing the rounds in the country that if Mr Museveni is defeated in the polls, he will cause war in Uganda.

Speaking during his campaign trail in the Rwenzori sub-region, Dr Besigye dismissed the speculation and said it was being spread by NRM “propaganda mongers”.

“Mr Museveni cannot cause war after he is defeated on February 18, this is a pure lie. How can he? You cannot start a war without the people,” Dr Besigye said during a radio talk show on Fort Portal’s Voice of Tooro.

“I was with Mr Museveni in the bush, if we did not get civilian support, we would not have won the war. So those NRM war mongers are wasting time. Mr Museveni cannot win a war without the people, neither can any presidential candidate in this race,” Dr Besigye added.

He left for Fort Portal after winding up his campaign trail in the neighbouring Kasese District in the Rwenzori mountain region.