Stand Firm, Muntu Tells MPs
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The Monitor (Kampala)
June 17, 2004
Posted to the web June 16, 2004
Richard M. Kavuma
Kampala
Former Army Commander Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu has urged national politicians to stand
up for what they believe in and rectify Uganda's politics.
In a veiled attack on the Movement government and politicians, Muntu warned that
subverting the political process would be "utmost betrayal" of the civilian population.
He was this week recounting his experiences during the 1981-86 armed struggle that
brought President Yoweri Museveni to power. Muntu warned that the focus of that
struggle has been lost over time, adding that a struggle is a continuous process.
Asked what he meant by subverting the political process, Muntu said: "We had
objectives: we were fighting to have a democratic order, equality before the law,
equal opportunity, fairness and justice."
He added: "the only problem is when you reach a point and you get a feeling that now
the struggle is over; the moment you do that, you start degenerating."
The East African legislator said the majority of political actors are paralysed by
fear and forced to do things they don't believe in. "It is very worrying for me that a
person who is holding a position of responsibility cannot come out and say during a
meeting that this is wrong," he said.
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He urged Ugandans to fight for what they believe is right and stop hoping that some
one else will fight on their behalf. Muntu declined to be specific, but his remarks
come at a time when Government is plotting to remove Presidential term limits from the
Constitution. Museveni has sacked ministers who have opposed the move.
Former Attorney General Francis Ayume (RIP) was reportedly afraid to advise Cabinet
against a referendum that Museveni wants to endorse the move.
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