Presidential hopeful Lt Gen Henry Tumukunda has revealed that when he decided to campaign for the reelection of president Yoweri Museveni in 2016, it was on the basis that Ugandans were not yet ready for change.
Tumukunde was the headliner for President Museveni’s 2016 campaigns and he is known for his action of landing a chopper at the grounds in Fort Portal shortly before, a rally for Independent candidate Amama Mbabazi.
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While speaking in an interview on NBS TV morning breeze on Thursday, Tumukunde insisted that supporting Museveni in the 2016 elections was on the basis that in his view, Uganda was not yet ready for change.
“When I was campaigning for President Museveni, it was in the interests of the Republic of Uganda, I measured that in the circumstances that may be Uganda is not ready for change,” Tumukunde said.
He also hinted that by campaigning for Museveni during the time, he was laying ground and advantage for his personal future involvement.
“If you go to campaign in the republic of Uganda, according to you there is no advantage for me? Is it zero advantage for me? Do you know how many people I know in Uganda? It was not for zero advantage that I campaigned in the whole of Uganda,” he said.
I started the NRM
Tumukunde also claimed that he belongs to the National Resistance Movement and he is one of the founders of the ruling party.
“I belong to the NRM, why not? I started the NRM, fought for it, most of these people you hear speak for it, where were they? Some of them did not even fight, one f these days we shall start bringing out these facts.”
He, however, waved off the debate when asked to mention people in the party who never fought.
“I do not want to waste my energies discussing personalities.”
I will not end up like Mbabazi
The retired General also refuted reports that he would end up with an abysmal performance just like for Amama Mbabazi.
“I have heard a minister (Kamya) here who said You will be like Mbabazi, those are small stories. She should have said I would be like her.”
According to Tumukunde, he has so much support amongst those he has worked with, for instance, the Northern Uganda and Muslims in Kampala.
“In this Kampala alone the biggest vote is from the Islamic community, the people I have been working with while providing security for this country, do we even have enough resources, we depend on people giving us intelligence. Watch the space,” he said.
“If people vote for you, it because you did what is favorable to them. I controlled terrorism and was not vindictive or punitive. I understood that these people did not have the sufficient ideological appreciation to join such circumstances and according to me that is Meritus. If you don’t give it to me, Ugandans will. You wait.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRWGWQ8Ai_o
