Gen Tumukunde: "We are sliding back to the 1980s misrule"

Presidential aspirant, Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde, has said that the events taking place in the country remind him of the 1980s where people's rights were abused while others arrested for no reason.

“We are returning to the 1980-1981 situation where a minister would be arrested on a roadblock in a government where you are serving. I think we need to be sensitive about our country’s stability. We are very offended,"Tumukunde said while unveiling his campaign team ahead of 2021 general elections on Monday.

The team will be chaired by Omar Kalinge Nyago.

Speaking to the media, Tumukunde said he won’t be intimidated by the obstacles created by the state to frustrate his activities towards the 2021 general polls.

"We feel very offended, abused and actually dehumanised yet we are trying to stabilise the country and give it a formidable context where all views can be expressed,"he said.

Tumukunde urged all the opposition actors to remain focussed in the struggle of liberating this country.

“I want to repeat one statement that we need to continue to give an impression to voters that all of us who are players in this political scene, we have an opportunity to campaign freely and be able to win an election,” he said.

The chairperson of his Renew Uganda pressure group, Omar Kalinge Nnyago, said the reason the committee has been set up is to show Ugandans that Tumukunde is not alone in the presidential race.

He said in times like this when he is facing arrests, the organisation’s activities should continue to run.

"We are in the middle of intimidation but life will continue.We are going to push the struggle regardless of all the challenges,"he said.

Beatrice Kiraso, the chief of staff, Renewed Uganda, said the struggle of liberating Uganda is not for an individual.

"This is the struggle of a well organised team brought together by the aspiration to bring a peaceful change in Uganda's governance,"she said.