I haven’t retired from the struggle- Dr Kizza Besigye

Kitgum, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT  | Former Forum for Democratic Change Party President Rtd Col Dr Kizza Besigye says he hasn’t retired from the struggle for the liberation of Uganda from the 35-year-old rule of President Museveni.

Dr Besigye was the chief guest during thanksgiving prayers organised by Denis Onekalit Amere, the Kitgum Municipality Member of Parliament-elect over the weekend. Amere defeated State Minister for Environment Beatrice Atim Anywar in the January 14, parliamentary polls.

From the event, Dr Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate said he is working so hard to see that Uganda is free, even if he did not contest again in the 2021 presidential election in which FDC fronted its party president Patrick Amuriat Oboi. Besigye contested for the presidency four times but lost to his former Commander in Chief and bush war comrade President Museveni in 2001, 2006, 2011, and 2016.

Dr Besigye maintains that the past elections in which he contested were rigged, denying him victory. In 2016, Besigye swore himself as the People’s president in a mock ceremony in Kampala after the 2016 elections. He was later arrested and charged with treason. 

This year’s results, as released by the Electoral Commission, still gave Yoweri Museveni, the National Resistance Movement-NRM candidate victory with 6,042,898 votes [58.38 per cent] securing his sixth term of office since taking over power in 1986. National Unity Platform-NUP presidential candidate Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi came second with 3,631,437 votes [35.08 per cent] while Amuriat, the FDC candidate came in third place with 337,589 votes [3.26 per cent].

But, Besigye says, that the elections were also rigged. He however adds that they are looking for other alternatives to free the country.

Amuriat at the same event also claims that as the FDC party, they predicted that the elections were going to be rigged and wasted no time to file a petition challenging the election results after it was declared by the electoral commission. He reiterates that they are now embarking on another chapter after an unsuccessful plan A. 

FDC party rejected the results of the January 14th election declared by the electoral commission citing it wasn’t free and fair. The election is currently being challenged by NUP party president Kyagulanyi at the Supreme Court.

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