By Alex Atuhaire
June 7, 2004
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KAMPALA - President Museveni asked for the removal of presidential term limits last year, former Ethics Minister Miria Matembe said yesterday. She said she was shocked when Museveni made the request during the Movement NEC meeting at Kyankwanzi last year. Matembe was speaking on 93.3 Monitor FM Straight From the Heart show hosted by Ms Desree Barlow, yesterday. She said she supported Museveni's 2001 campaign because she knew the president would quit in 2006. �He is the one who personally spoke at Kyankwanzi and said we should remove presidential term limits. I was so shocked. I never expected that,� Matembe said. Matembe, the Woman MP for Mbarara opposed the third term and was sacked from Cabinet. She said she had travelled with Museveni on anti-corruption crusades and would tell people that the President would quit in 2006, only to be shocked by the developments. She dismissed claims that she opposes the third term because she was sacked from Cabinet. �I opposed lifting of presidential term limits while I was still in Cabinet. At Kyankwanzi, I talked genuinely and frankly. I didn't know the consequences. When I was dismissed, I was happy because I knew this was the beginning, because later, I would have resigned from Cabinet,� she said. Matembe said the machinations to remove term limits, was an illegal scheme, which Museveni and supporters want to effect using the people. She said supporters of the third term contradict themselves when they say Museveni had not asked for it. �The deceit of the whole scheme is like an illegal scheme. Why doesn't he be honest enough to say that he wants a third term, such that we can sit on a round table and talk instead of opening our constitution to all bad leaders in the future,� she wondered. Museveni has not directly asked for a third term. Matembe said that third term advocates want to abrogate the constitution by using the people, but they are not courageous to take action. �Obote had courage. When he wanted to abrogate the constitution, he took action and it was on record. But when you are fearful and want to pass through people, its more sinful. People want to abrogate the constitution but they are fearful,� she said. Matembe said the president blocked the Movement MPs from listening to Besigye's story. �One evening we were gathered at the Conference Center and we expected Besigye to address us. Instead it was the president who stormed us and said how could Besigye address us,� Matembe said. She said the government was against the IGG's office. �The institution of the IGG is seriously resented by many ministries and the government,� she said. Last week, the IGG was blocked from taking action against the Solicitor General, Mr Lucien Tibaruha, after the latter refused to give him a file. Matembe said she used to protect the institution while still minister but saw this coming. "The IGG was actually being shielded by my office," she said. She said the day President Museveni swore an affidavit against the IGG in support of Kakooza Mutale, it made the strong statement. Kakooza Mutale threatened the IGG with arrest if he arrested the Solicitor General. |
� 2004 The Monitor Publications
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