THIRTY YEARS: Museveni vs Besigye

At the time of the Constituent Assembly (CA) in 1994, Besigye appears to have become disturbed that, although the CA membership was organised under the Movement (NRM) system of `individual merit’, Museveni was clandestinely pulling strings to influence decisions.

Museveni was not in the CA but Besigye discovered that he was calling clique meetings to push his agenda. Some people Museveni used were Miria Matembe, Margret Zziwa, Mathias Ngobi, Michael Sebalu, Bidandi Ssali, Steven Chebrot, Agard Didi, Noble Mayombo, Jotham Tumwesigye, Aziz Kasujja, George Kanyeihamba, Beatrice Lagada, and Faith Mwonda. Many of these went to get to positions from Museveni in government or its departments. Some are still with Museveni, some have fallen out with him.

“The arbitrarily handpicked group went ahead to take positions on major areas of the draft constitution which we members of CA, considered as “NRM supporters”, were supposed to support in the CA,” Besigye is quoted to have said.

Soon, Besigye and others formed the Solidarity Ring for the Disadvantaged (SORID); it was a political support mobilisation vehicle disguised as an NGO.

When in 1998, he was removed from even this lowly position, Besigye sought to leave the army. But the plan was thwarted by events. At this point, Besigye was a Senior Military Advisor to the Minister of Defence –who was President Museveni. And 2021 promises to be another phase in the fight between Besigye and Museveni.

Timeline of events since Besigye issued dossier

• November 1999- Besigye authors hard hitting dossier
• September 2000- Elders from Rukungiri meet Museveni at State House to diffuse tensions between Besigye and Museveni
• October 20, 2000- Besigye retires from the army
• October 28, 2000- Declares he is running against President Museveni in 2001 elections
• March 12, 2001- Contests against Museveni with four others scoring 27% of the vote
• March 23 2001- Files first presidential election petition at Supreme Court in Uganda. Petition dismissed in 3-2 verdict
• August 17, 2001- Flees into exile in South Africa
• December 2004- Parliamentary Advocacy Forum (PAFO) and Reform Agenda merge to form Forum for Democratic Change (FDC). Debate ensues on whether Besigye should be FDC presidential candidate
• October 26, 2005- Besigye returns to Uganda
• November 14, 2005 – Arrested at Busega outside Kampala and charged with rape, treason and misprision of treason. Also court martialed for terrorism and illegal possession of firearms.
• December 12, 2005 EC rules saying Besigye can be nominated as FDC presidential candidate while in jail
• January 2, 2006- Besigye released
• February 20, 2006 Besigye contests against Museveni for the second time winning 37% of the vote
• March 2006- Files second presidential election petition at Supreme Court which is dismissed in a 4-3 verdict
• November 2007- Besigye’s brother, Joseph Musasizi Kifefe, dies of multiple complications arising from alleged torture by security authorities
• February 2009- Wins another term as FDC president
• March 2009- Sparks debate saying Museveni never fired gun during 1981-1986 NRA Bush War
• September 2010- Besigye is voted as consensus flag-bearer of Inter Party Coalition (IPC), an alliance of FDC, CP, JEEMA and SDP. IPC however fell apart later
• February 18, 2011 Besigye scores 26% in third election against Museveni
• February 25, 2011 Besigye and other opposition politicians call for protests against government
• April 11, 2011- Leads Walk-to-Work protests decrying rising food and fuel prices
• May 11 Returns from Nairobi for special treatment after pepper is sprayed in his eyes. Same day as Museveni is sworn in for sixth term
• March 2012 Besigye steps down as FDC president, two years before the end of his tenure
• November 12, 2013- Besigye in an interview with NTV, says he won’t take part in 2016 elections
• July 1, 2015- Contests for the FDC presidential flag-bearer against party president Gen. Mugisha Muntu
• September 3, 2015- Elected party presidential flag bearer with 718 votes to Muntu’s 289.
• Same month, Besigye begins talks with The Democratic Alliance (TDA), a loose alliance of opposition politicians to front one candidate against Museveni
• November 4, 2015 Nominated as a presidential candidate for fourth time
• February 18, 2016- Besigye is arrested on Election Day, after storming a house in Naguru, Kampala that he suspected of being a vote rigging centre. Polls 35% of the vote.
• May 12, 2016- Swears himself in as ‘People’s President’ same day as Museveni is sworn in
• May 13, 2016 Besigye arrested and charged with treason. Jailed in Kitgum prison.
• March 26, 2017- Besigye launches ‘My Land, My Life campaign’ in Mityana district. It was against increased land grabbing in the country
• August 2017- Joins forces with opposition politicians in Togikwatako campaign against amending of constitution to remove presidential age limit to enable Museveni run again.
• January 2018- Launches Tubalemese; campaign aimed at boycotting businesses owned by members of ruling NRM
• January 2019- Declares 2019 year of action
• February 15, 2019- Besigye unveils People’s Government; Cabinet, Assembly
• October 24, 2019- Launches Twerwaneko; a call for Ugandans to defend themselves against impunity of NRM government
• November 2019- Launches petition to have President Museveni indicted by the international Criminal Court