Forum for Democratic Change former President, (rtd) Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu has called upon Ugandans to prepare for the post Museveni era.
Posting on his Facebook wall and Twitter handle, the former FDC party President said “I hear some people say, let us first get Museveni out, then we organize ourselves. That is what Libyans said. That is what Syrians said. Even Iraqis said the same thing. Get rid of the dictator and then sort the other things later. Where are they now?” he asked.
He further warned that the reality is that unless we prepare for a post-Museveni era now and have leaders across the country ready to manage that transition, we will very easily find ourselves in anarchy.
Muntu, who lost the FDC Presidency to Patrick Oboi Amuriat last year is on a on a countrywide consultation drive among the FDC supporters though the party leadership is not in his support. However, this morning, founding party leader Kizza Besigye told the media in Mbarara that he was in support of Gen. Muntu’s initiative.
According to Muntu yesterday (Monday), he interacted with a cross section of Ugandans in Hoima.
He also revealed that the meeting was attended by members of all the major political parties, religious leaders, civil society, youth, women and the elderly. “I was deeply encouraged by the positive enthusiasm everyone displayed not just about the future of our country, but also the desire to get involved in it,” he boasted.
The retired former Army Commander believes that the reality of African continent today is not good.
“Intrigue, manipulation, and deception have characterized politics in Africa. Most leaders come speaking better things but do the exact opposite when they get to power,” he says. Adding “All of us agree that to change the country, the dictator must go,”
He says however, two things must be done simultaneously in order to achieve the future the country wants; “working to remove the dictator on the one hand and organizing to manage the country better on the other”.
He warned that the first one is relatively easy since people are fed up and are willing to participate in actions that will undermine, sabotage and fail the regime. “But after that, then what?”
“And so fellow Ugandans, how do we move past simply focusing on defeating the regime (which we will) and also prepare for life after it is gone?”
He says this is not about him or any other individual but It is about Uganda as a country.
The soft spoken leader is today expected to cover Tooro region.

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Former presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye has today vowed to support Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu’s consultative meetings that aim at sensitizing and mobilizing masses against the current regime.
Last week Gen. Muntu’s consultation meetings were declared to be illegal and against party motives by party leaders however on Sunday he defied party orders and held his first consultation meetings in Hoima.
He implored both FDC and his supports to resist the temptation of being obsessed with president Museveni’s regime and promised to galvanize country around protests, civil disobedience and boycotts as a tool of weakening regime.
In a media briefing held in Mbarara today, Dr. Besigye said as long as anybody wants to do an activity that brings the dictatorship down, ‘’that person is our ally and if someone is doing an activity that is not helpful to bringing the dictator down, then we shall oppose him’’.
He vehemently said that every Ugandan is free to carry out consultative meetings and he has no problem with it.
However FDC party president Patrick Amuriat acknowledged that he and the party are not aware of Muntu’s consultations, he however, pledged to have a conversation with him for a common goal of winning the top most seat.
Dr. Besgye, FDC party president Patrick Amuriat, FDC mobiliser Igrid Tulinawe, Kawempe South MP Mubarak Munyagwa among other FDC leaders had appeared before court in Mbarara over murder charges, inciting violence and occasioning malicious damage of police vehicle.
The matter was however adjourned to March 6, 2017 by the sitting Magistrate Daphne Ayebare following an official leave that was granted by Magistrate Ssanyu Mukasa.

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Makerere University Chancellor, Dr. Ezra Suruma has presided over the first batch of graduands that are set to receive their awards for the different course that they studied at the University.
A total of 14,085 candidates are to graduate in the course of the week with various faculties being assigned different days.
While speaking at the function, the Chancellor advised the graduands to be creative, competitive, cooperative and innovative in order to fit in the competitive and dynamic market.
“Your time at Makerere has been a phase to help you establish your roots firmly so that you continue to grow and be productive in the years ahead of you. You have also received anchoring to support you to withstand the storms of life that will come your way,” Dr. Suruma said on Tuesday.
He advised them to be ready to adapt to the new challenges saying the country has many opportunities for exploration.
The 68th graduation at Makerere University started Tuesday (January 16). The four-day ceremony will see a total of 14, 085 students graduate in various disciplines. About 71 of these are graduating with PhD.
Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, the University’s Vice Chancellor said this is the largest number of students graduating at one congregation in the history of the history of Uganda’s oldest and largest university.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 16
• College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES)
• College of Education and External Studies (CEES)
• College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS)
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 17
• College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS)
• College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS)
• College of Health Sciences (CHS)
• College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Bio-security (CoVAB)
THURSDAY JANUARY 18
• Makerere University Business School (MUBS)
FRIDAY, JANUARY 19
• College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT)
• College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS)
• School of Law (LAW)

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Three of the ten police officers who were charged of kidnapping a former Rwandan presidential guard Lt. Joel Mutabazi have today been granted Shs10 million non-cash bail by Makindye general court martial.
Last year Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) arrested over ten police officers and three civilians over the kidnapping Lt. Mutabazi, and one Jackson Karemera, who were reportedly deported back to Rwanda.
Appearing before the seven member court chaired by Lt. Gen. Andrew Gutti, D/CPL Amon Kwarisima, SPC Faisal Katende and D/ASP James Magada were released on bail after being satisfied that the three are junior ranking officers who cannot interfere with the on-going CMI investigations.
The three signed Shs10 million non-cash bail as their sureties signed Shs5 million each and ordered to appear before court registrar twice a month.
However court vowed to cancel their bail if they fail to comply with court instructions. The rest have been sent back to Luzira prison until February, 5 2018.
Last month the former head of the police Professional Standards Unit (PSU) Joel Aguma was denied bail by the same court and that prompted him to petition at the High Court’s Criminal Division applying for bail which until now has not been heard.
According to prosecution, in 2013 CP Aguma and his co-accused, contrary to the Penal Code Act, arrested Lt. Mutabazi, a former Republican Guard (Presidential Guard) officer who had run away from Rwanda to Uganda citing persecution, and handed him over back to Rwandan authorities.
Lt. Mutabazi was subsequently tried in Rwanda and given a life sentence by a military court.

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Paddy Sserunjoji aka Sobi who rose to fame in December after claiming to be a leader of a reformed Kifesi group has been arrested.

The news of his arrest has been confirmed by police spokesperson, Emilian Kayima.

According to Kayima, Sobi has been arrested Monday in Nsangi.

He was arrested at a hotel in Nsangi – Rose Garden – together with two others; one Twaha Tim and Shafiq Kasozi.

“The police are investigating the allegations they openly made on Television stations which circulated on many social media platforms. Their daunting claims of killing people cannot simply be swept under the carpet. It will be investigated to the logical conclusion,” said Kayima.

On allegations of working with police officers to commit crime, he said that they were very interested in knowing the officers they work with.

Sobi together with tens of his colleagues shocked the nation in December when they confessed to be killers and thieves though; they claimed to have reformed and thus were to give Ugandans a break during the festive season.

They assured Ugandans that no member from the group was to carry out any acts of killing or stealing during the festive season.

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Whereas his consultation meetings are being condemned by his party as irregular, former FDC president Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu has likened President Yoweri Museveni to former Presidents Idi Amin Dada and Milton Obote.

In a tweet on the side lines of his first consultation exercise, Muntu lashed out at Museveni for attacking the two former leaders for their past actions while they served as president yet he is not any different.
“Museveni criticised Obote and Amin and over time did what they did,” he said adding “That is why those of us who desire real change must build a new culture of politics in this country with institutions that check leaders,”
Gen. Mugisha held his first consultations were held Sunday in Hoima. He says the main reason he insisted on going ahead with his consultations is because this is the best timing for Uganda to achieve what other generations of Uganda have not.
“My belief has always been that we should resist the temptation of being obsessed with regime change in and of itself. Museveni’s departure is a given, whether he likes it or not. But if we don’t prepare for a post-Museveni era, we may find ourselves in the same position we are trying to escape from,
“Where the country is dependent on the charity of individuals rather than the functioning of institutions. Galvanising the country around protests, civil disobedience and boycotts is an effective tool of weakening regimes – can also bring down dictatorships like we have witnessed in a number of countries worldwide,” his statement at the consultation meeting reads in part.
It further reads, “But if we don’t have people across the nation to provide an alternative kind of leadership, all we will achieve will be a mere change of guards if not outright anarchy like we have witnessed in a number of African and Arab countries. The question for us as a country therefore is this; how do we change our politics to reflect the democratic ideas we aspire to achieve?”

Last week by FDC Secretary General Nandala Mafabi ordering all FDC District Chairpersons and Secretary Generals that any activities in their areas must have been sanctioned by the party’s National Executive Committee.
“This is to inform your office that anyone from headquarters or anywhere who intends to carry out any activity in your district in the name of the party should demonstrate that the activity was discussed and passed by the FDC National Executive Committee,” reads a directive from Mafabi dated January 10.
However, defending his meetings, Gen Muntu insists they are not about him or any single individual.
“They are about how to best put the country before self. How do we get our young people to realise that they are not merely spectators but stakeholders in our politics? How do we get our women to reject lip service being paid to gender-based injustice and insist on holding their leaders accountable?
“What is the best way to get our small but influential working class to realise that unless we sort out the unemployment crisis affecting their brothers and sisters, even the few jobs they have will quickly disappear?” he asked.
He further added that a full consultation program had been drawn and police had been informed about the same, while the public will soon be informed about the program that he intends to carry out all over the country.

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