Less than a week after Rtd. Col. Kizza Besigye taunted his nemesis President Yower Museveni over his tight grip on power, another of the 1980-86 bush war fighters, Rtd. Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafire has said the retirement of President Yoweri Museveni will follow constitutional provisions.
Gen. Otafiire, the minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs while speaking in Rukungiri on Sunday, the home district of Dr. Besigye said there is no need to ‘grieve’ about Museveni’s retirement since his time (to retire) will be constitutionally catered for.
He was delivering President Museveni’s message at the consecration of Bishop of North Kigezi diocese Rt. Rev. Benon Magezi..
Responding to Rukungiri Municipality MP Mr Roland Mugume Kaginda who asked him to deliver message to President Museveni that he “hands over (office) peacefully and allow a smooth transition” Gen. Otafiire said, “The question of retirement and peaceful handover my colleague Hon. Kaginda has talked about, Bishop Tugume has retired because the constitution of Church Of Uganda commands so, if the constitution finds us, we shall retire,” Gen Otafire said. He added, “Smooth transfer of power; should that situation arise, we shall bless the occasion. We shall reach 75 and go. However much good we are, our time will come and we go.”
President Yoweri Museveni, 72, will be ineligible to stand in 2021 when his current term expires because the constitution currently bars anyone aged 75 years and above from contesting for President.
Following the 2005 precedent where the parliament amended term limit law to allow anyone to contest for President as many times as they can, there are fears that the age limit law could be amended to enable Mr Museveni contest again.
Gen. Otafire however added that President Museveni and NRM government can even be defeated in an election and they hand over power peacefully. “What if they defeat us the way Mr (Fred) Turyamuhweza (MP
Rujumbura) defeated Gen (Jim) Muhwezi here. That time can also come. Don’t grieve for peaceful transfer of power, it will come,” he held.
The talk for peaceful handover of power was started with the Kinkizi Diocese Bishop Dan Zoreka, the Master Of Ceremonies who government leaders to emulate the church.
