Tumukunde’s presidential bid gets hostile reaction

Lt. Gen. Henry Tumukunde

Lieutenant General Henry Tumukunde has written to the Electoral Commission about his intentions to contest for president of Uganda in the next general elections.

In a 2-page letter he wrote to the Electoral Commission (EC) and shared on his Twitter page, Gen. Tumukunde said in part that: “My consultations will therefore target various interest groups in the country with a view of facilitating my decisions ahead of nominations of presidential candidates alated for October 2020.”

Tumukunde notes in the last paragraph of his letter that: “I join other well meaning Ugandans to support the fundamental change which we promised Ugandans in the past and a peaceful transition from one generation to another.”

But his bombshell declaration has attracted a largely hostile response from many corners of Uganda’s society with many observing that although it is his constitutional right to stand for president, he is not any different from the ruling NRM regime or even the generation he claims he stands for.

Many have also cast doubt on the genuineness of his bid likening it to that of former Prime Minister John Patrick Amama Mbabazi who contested against Museveni in 2016, but now appeared to have gone back into the NRM fold.

NRM spokesperson Ofwono Opondo dismissed the retired Gen’s bid as a selfish project.

He posted on his twitter account saying: “It’s his right but i think doing it more because of arrogance, false self actualisation, and perhaps as a possible business transaction.”

Tumukunde has one several occasions made statements that have been interpreted as fits of arrogance and indifference especially to the plight of ordinary Ugandans. At one time while appearing before Parliament, Tumukunde was quoted to have said that UGX200m was pocket change for him.

Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Spokesperson Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda expressed shock that Tumukunde intends to contest for president since has not done anything in the past to show that he cares for ordinary people.

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