Former Forum for Democratic Change, FDC Party President will not challenge President Yoweri Museveni for the presidency of Uganda in the upcoming General election.
Dr. Besigye made the revelation while addressing FDC supporters at Najjanankumbi this afternoon. He asked that the party finds another suitable candidate to take on the mantle of challenging Mr. Museveni.
He also applauded Amb. Wasswa Birigwa for offering himself as a candidate to represent the Party in the forthcoming elections, explaining that he understands the struggle.
“Today I came here to be part of you as we flag the process of the channel A to continue. I can tell you without a shed of doubt that I have every confidence in our leaders that we have here today. Mulongo Wasswa Birigwa is not new to the challenges of channel A, he has been in the trenches, and he has also been abroad so he has friends he can invite. I trusty Mulongo is up to the mark and I congratulat you upon taking a decision to express interest” Besigye said.
The former party leader also congratulated Patrick Amuriat the current party president who he says has been in politics for decades and has experience in public service and that some people mistake his demeanor for being a pushover. He said POA is not to be undermined because he even beat a former Commander of Defense forces Gen. Mugisha Muntu to the party Presidency.
“If there are people out there underestimating him, think again because he is full of surprises? To come from wherever he came in those humble situations and find a General former commander of the forces leading a strong party and in a short time things change, I have absolutely no doubt that POA fits the deem” Besigye praised him.
He noted that while their plan A is to engage in an election with President Museveni, they have a plan B, which is a united front.
“We are building a strong front, in the plan B we are moving with everybody, whether you have a party or not. We have a platform which will unite all people who are for change. Let’s not allow to be destructed, keep the eye on the ball” Besigye warned.
Meanwhile, Dr. Besigye said President Museveni should be ashamed for charging that his supporters were assaulted during the youth elections on Monday.
Besigye said he watched Museveni charging last night and wondered if he knew how many opposition supporters have suffered the same or even more than what happened to NRM supporters.
“Shame on him. He has never known how many of our people have been terrorized, tortured and beaten and killed. When the kiboko squad was descending from the Central police station. And he is worried that some NRM people are beaten by other citizens? When we are tortured by people we pay our money?” Besigye wondered.
He applauded FDC supporters for soldiering on and fighting to unseat the current government. Dr Besigye said the struggle he joined to fight gunmen has taken different phases to get where they are.
He further repeated the rhetoric that President Museveni is not a legitimate leader of Uganda, especially after rejecting an audit of the 2016 elections.
“As you know they took me to jail, charged me with treason for declaring myself a winner. I went to Court and said yes, try me let me show you that it is I who won. It’s now 5 years, we are going to another election and they have never tried me, I am still a prisoner on treason because they don’t want the truth to come out” the former Presidential candidate said.
