FARUK KIRUNDA: They claimed he was too old but is more fit than them

Last Saturday, July 5, was a momentous occasion as President Yoweri Museveni was nominated for the duo positions of National Chairman of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and 2026 party Presidential flagbearer. To crown it, he was unopposed for both! This was not for lack of alternative talent but because of the exceptional ability of the incumbent to see through a Vision for NRM and Uganda when it matters more than ever. He is still the best!
The successful nominee on the spot explained the major reasons why he is seeking another term in office (separate from the reelection Manifesto which is in the making).

“What, then, is next, and why am I coming forward to respond to the millions of Ugandans who have been ordering me with the slogan: ‘Tova ku main’ — ‘Do not leave the main electricity line’? It is for two reasons,” he said. Reason number one, he said, is to work with the NRM structures, to clarify the importance of the six aspects that are very crucial in ensuring that Uganda and, other parts of Africa, do not, again, miss the bus of history as happened in the past when Europe transformed and Africa stagnated and was enslaved.

The second reason, he added, “is to have leaders and a party that understands and is committed to the need for a qualitative leap from the status of the lower middle income country of USD 66 billion by the end of June 2026 to a high middle income country of USD 500 billion in the next few years.” Succinct, deep, farlooking! Mzee John Nagenda (R.I.P) could have had a field day on this one.

In the summary of what he plans to achieve by seeking a new term at the helm of Uganda’s leadership, Museveni, with a new moniker, “Ssamalungu”-one who fights in deserts-captures the baseline agenda that few or no other leaders, let alone other contenders for Uganda’s leadership can muster. These are the rewards of a true calling in leadership which comes with clarity of purpose and tireless commitment to the cause. It is never about position but about the mission!

The formal nomination followed endorsement and secondment by a strong front of the NRM youthful leaders escorted by a strong flank of jubilant supporters who converged at the party’s premises along Kyaddondo road in Kampala. Endorsement signatures were collected from across Uganda’s districts, part of the advantage that the NRM candidate has ahead of other claimants to the high seat. Whereas NRM is not a single party state, internal activities in other parties have not generated as much interest and involvement as with NRM you would almost think that NRM is alone in the contest. NUP recently had a closed a delegates conference where they elected party leaders. I had never heard of such a “boardroom” delegates conference before in my many years on earth.

NRM’s competitiveness and nationwide structure base are its greatest strength. I have previously argued that carrying out internal party elections popularly-by mass adult suffrage as NRM did from the grassroots-and having broad structures is a sure path to victory. NRM has already secured its victory in the general elections by the process of democratizing its internal processes. No other party is capable of this and at the end of the day, they will want to claim electoral malpractice and all. When NRM is at the grassroots, they are in Kampala abusing the system, forgetting to mobilise ahead of time.

But without President Museveni positively responding to the divine and popular call to offer himself for another term in office, NRM’s advantage would have been diminished by having to identify and market someone else. There is no one in NRM that can satisfy the requirements and needs of the party at this stage after Museveni setting the bar so high as the sole revolutionary leader of our era; experienced, tested, trusted and who has led the party in recurrent cycles of victory. We all recall that the previous election followed much controversy over amendment of the Constitution to expunge term the age limit and pave way for Museveni to vie for reelection. Coupled with the scientific campaign arrangements in light of Covid-19 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), some ground was lost due to the unevenness that resulted. Nevertheless, the NRM party flagbearer won reelection (with 59%).

And, proving that the decision of NRM and Ugandans to allow for amendment of the Constitution to pave way for the individually excellent leader to stay on, five years later Museveni is still as bouncy and mentally lucid as ever. What were they tearing their hair about instead of preparing their own candidates? The lies, misinformation and false assumptions about Museveni’s age and physical fitness have been debunked and the good Ugandans should offer him recompense him for the malicious propaganda and damaging publicity he suffered. A man who trekked 195kilometers from Galamba to Birembo and who recently toured the whole country assessing the performance of PDM at microlevel lacking energy to lead when his “accusers” can only struggle on treadmills in Kampala gyms and others can’t do monitoring of Government programmes in their small constituencies? This lie by the opposition will never mislead anyone again. Let them devise other schemes.

As Museveni ages, he is institutional memory personified, with the history of Africa and the world informing his every move and decision.

For those obsessed with time passage as if time is supposed to stop and wait for them, now is the best opportunity to join in promoting Museveni’s agenda for country, continent and the world at large. As Chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and G77+China, we need him more at a time the world is challenged with conflict and surging Socioeconomic stresses on the populations. Amateurs would only take us back. Leadership isn’t a trial and error matter, it’s a fight in the desert!

The author is the Special Presidential Assistant-Press & Mobilisation/Deputy Spokesperson
Email: faruk.kirunda@statehouse.go.ug
0776980486/0783990861