KAMPALA- Political commentator and veteran journalist Andrew Mwenda has poured cold water on the sustainability of the alliance between Dr Kizza Besigye’s People’s Government and People Power movement led by Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine.
According to Mr Mwenda, Dr Besigye and Bobi Wine cannot unite because they have conflicting strategies.
“Besigye and Bobi Wine deal will not work because they are both involved in the strategic competition and this creates structural stress. I don’t believe in term limits, a candidate like Besigye should keep making his try,” he said on Tuesday morning while on NBS TV.
The veteran journalist added that both Besigye and Bobi Wine are intolerant, a reason President Museveni should work towards dividing them.
“If Besigye and Bobi Wine subordinated their individual ambitions to the common goals they would pose a bigger threat to Museveni. If I was Museveni, I would incite a fight between Bobi Wine and Besigye,” he said.
Mr Mwenda said Dr Besigye is best suited to lead Uganda compared to Bobi Wine.
“Besigye has a very strong profile, of all the politicians I know in Uganda, he is the one closest to Museveni in terms of understanding the dynamics of politics. Besigye is a very principled man and a resilient fighter. I want to see Bobi Wine subjected to the same kind of intimidation,” he said.
“Bobi Wine is able to create a sensation because he is fresh, he is not a soldier and a westerner. I, however, find him blank on basic national issues. The opposition in Uganda has a problem. They feel they are so awesome, so cool and loved that they don’t need to win anyone over. I think Bobi should lead the struggle and Besigye steps down but I don’t think Besigye’s supporters and his wife will support that,” he added.
Mr Mwenda said President Museveni remains a better option to the two opposition leaders.
“I don’t see how Bobi Wine and Besigye can agree to talk to someone who doesn’t agree with them. Museveni is tolerant. These guys are terrible. My personal experience with Museveni is that he is a very tolerant person. He has grown older but I don’t think he has changed. Museveni’s character is that he’ll work with those he disagrees with. NRM tolerates Sekikuubo irrespective of how he criticizes it. Can opposition tolerate someone like Sekikuubo?” he said.
He also said whereas Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu can make a good leader, his new party, the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), will not have any impact on Uganda’s political arena.
“Gen. Mugisha Muntu’s ANT is dead on arrival. I think it’s unlikely to gain attention from those who think President Museveni must go. Gen. Muntu is the noblest, principled and real reformer Uganda has. I don’t think President Museveni will retire, he’ll either be pushed out of the office or die in office.”
