KAMPALA – Former Security minister Lt. Gen. Henry Tumukunde has vowed to push on with his presidential bid despite efforts by the state to curtail his ambitions.
Gen. Tumukunde, in a statement released on Saturday morning said his 59 days of detention at Luzira maximum prison was because he was a “prisoner of conscience”.
Released by High Court on bail on May 11, Gen. Tumukunde said:
“The fifty nine days I have spent in detention have strengthened my resolve to change the political future of this country. My commitment to the cause remains rock solid,” he wrote.
Gen. Tumukunde was in March arrested and charged with treason and being in possession of government weapons.
Prosecution states that on 5th day of March 2020 at Impala Avenue Kololo in Kampala, Gen. Tumukunde was found in possession a modified AK 47 rifle and a Star pistol without valid firearm certificates.
The state further alleges that while appearing on NBS Television, Tumukunde made utterances that if he was Rwanda, he would wish to cause change in Uganda.
President Museveni, commenting on the matter said the retired general went “beyond” in his criticism of government the reason he was arrested.
Dismissing the notion that his government harasses all those that express interest in challenging his seat, Mr. Museveni said in an interview with NBS Television:
“Bobi Wine said that he wants to be President but he has not been arrested. For Tumukunde, he went beyond in his attacks on government but I don’t want to talk much about it because the matter is before court,” Mr Museveni said.
According to the roadmap issued by the Electoral Commission, the 2021, presidential, Parliamentary and local council elections will be conducted in March next year.
However, the roadmap has been affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. The Electoral Commission had reached at the stage of displaying voters register.
Mr. Jotham Taremwa, the spokesperson of Electoral Commission, admitted that the pandemic may affect the electoral process but said it is early to make any decision at this stage.
“For now, its life let’s first rally behind the President and Government in fighting the spread of Covid19. At an appropriate time, the Commission will inform the Country the electoral programme,” he said.
