Big Interview: Mao should accept that he was dupedby Museveni, says MP Tinkasimire

Recently in an interview, President Museveni said the Memorandum of Understanding that he signed with Democratic Party in July did not include any agreement on political transition.

But Nobert Mao, DP president general has insisted that political transition was part of the deal and was written allover the cooperation agreement "in black and white".

In an interview with the Nile Post, Buyaga West MP, Barnabas Tinkasimire said Mao should have consulted the former Prime Minister Patrick Amama Mbabazi and other bush war heroes who made agreements with Museveni that were never fulfilled.

Excerpts below:

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How are the people of Buyaga West Constituency navigating the tough economic situation?

The economy is largely affecting them because there is no money in the villages and now as we get close to the end of an academic year, the parents have failed to voluntarily clear their balances. The children are being sent back home.

Those engaged in agriculture have started harvesting because the rains came early and have been relatively consistent.

Did your constituency receive the Parish Development Model Money?

The money has not reached. You know even the whole country, out of 10, 549 Saccos, the government has only released the money to 3400 Saccos leaving a big chunk of around 7,000 and with no money released to them. Maybe we have to be patient with the government and see before the end of this month whether we shall have money.

This Parish Development Model is literally like a financial institution and when people start looking at it as a financial institution, the way it is... you borrow money at the 6%, then you return (that means) it is a financial institution. There are those ones who don’t borrow but they are poor. They will fear borrowed money because they have seen people being arrested because of debts.

Last month, the EU parliament adopted a resolution denouncing the human rights violations as well as the major environmental risks posed by EACOP projects. What do you think?

I think we should always expect the unexpected. I don't think that Europeans are there to clap for us. First of all, our experience with them was not the best. We got independence, but we have continued to play in their hands.

We know that largely, the money that we use to develop ourselves is [got from them]. It has conditions but because we are interested in having a total grip on power, we keep terrorising, torturing Ugandans, that is playing in their hands. We would not have been attracted to this.

The issues of the environment, I agree with them because at the end of the day I would want to survive but how will my children survive tomorrow if the environment is destroyed? My grandchildren, how are they going to survive? As a country, we need to have an engagement and have a win-win situation.

But if I was the head of state, I would concentrate on what is critical. Critical in this country is setting up a refinery in that place. Whatever small money that comes in when is utilised properly, it can change the course of development in this country.

A group of NRM youth have come out and endorsed President Museveni ahead of the 2026 general election? What does this mean?

For me, as far as the leadership of this country is concerned and given the politics unfolding in this country, given the circumstances where his son is ever posting that he wants to be president come 2026...The young people who endorsed President Museveni sent a clear signal to Muhoozi that he is not wanted. I am very happy with them and I support them.

I told you that I would rather have President Museveni to rule us for life than have his son. The way he behaves doesn't portray that this country under his leadership can be a safe place. I don’t think that Ugandans are ready to move on from the reign of President Museveni to that of his son.

Do you think the opposition is doing enough to exert pressure on Museveni?

They (opposition) are interested in becoming rich out of him. Even us in the NRM, we should be able to put President Museveni under pressure to deliver to NRM members. The opposition should also swallow their pride. They are in the business of making money, they are not serious. NRM members are pressing President Museveni to deliver to their constituencies. For them(opposition), they go to Museveni to make deals. Do you think Norbert Mao is interested in what is going on in the lives of an ordinary Ugandan? He is not interested.

The other day I saw him dancing while in Fort Portal. I am very disappointed with them (the opposition). I want to ask Ugandans to stop taking them seriously. How long can we go on like that? Let’s push the agenda of Museveni. If he dies, we shall short out ourselves.

Recently, President Museveni signed the controversial Computer Misuse Amendment Bill but some Ugandans have labelled it as a move intended to gag the public. What do you think?

Museveni has been around for long and is brave because of the abuses we have directed at him on social media. President Museveni is a very sober man via those who abuse him because sometimes those who abuse him indirectly are communicating positive messages. It is his son who is very intolerant and it is the son who must have gone to Muhammad Nsereko [the mover of the bill] and asked for help.

How can you tell me that you are making a law to regulate social media? In the constituency he [Nsereko] leads almost everyone uses social media. My mother in the village doesn't use social media, she only calls. More than half of my voters don’t use social media but more than half of voters of Nsereko use social media.

In a recent interview President Museveni said political transition was not part of his deal with DP's Norbert Mao in July. Mao insists it was. Who, in your view is talking the truth?

I have no business with Mao and Museveni’s agreement. Mao should swallow his pride and accept that he officially joined Museveni to work for him. He is his cabinet minister and he should accept to work for him and promote him. If Museveni is saying there is nothing like that, and this man is saying there was an agreement on transition, who should we believe? These are the two people who made the agreement. In those circumstances I will invite Ugandans not to involve themselves in the affairs between Mao and Museveni.

Mao joined NRM, when he was seeing it by himself. He should not expect that he is going to continue wearing green then Museveni steps down and then green comes on top. No.

Museveni agreed with Amama Mbabazi that he was going to be the next president, is he the president now? He agreed with those people he fought with that he was going to rule for two terms. How many terms has he ruled?