By Timothy Nsubuga

4^th July 2011:

Muhoozi in a different uniform in Kampala

Following our exclusive story in which we reported about a failed April 2011 plot by two army Generals to overthrow President Yoweri Museveni’s government, [see: Army Generals tried to topple Museveni in April] two more veteran NRA Generals have broken their silence regarding the sensitive Museveni succession issue.

In two separate emails to Uganda Correspondent on Tuesday and Thursday last week, the two Generals, who requested strict anonymity because of the sensitivity of matter, expressed unusually strong resistance to even the mere contemplation of President Museveni’s son Lt. Col. Muhoozi Keinerugaba taking over from his father as President of Uganda.

One of the NRA veterans, an acid tongued NRM cadre who is serving in a senior position in the current government, said they have tried to discuss the succession issue with the President but it seems he has his own secret plans that he is keeping very close to his chest.

“…The issue of succession that you raised in your story is one that has concerned us a great deal.  We have tried to get the President to discuss it but he doesn’t want.  He is playing his cards very close to his chest.  That is very dangerous because if he is thinking of installing his son [Muhoozi], then we shall fight him to death.  Our friends did not die in Luwero for that and we cannot accept it”, said the NRA veteran.

Muhoozi is not an ordinary Ugandan

When we sent this bitter NRA veteran an email asking why he thinks Museveni’s son Lt. Col. Muhoozi Keinerugaba shouldn’t have the same right like any other Ugandan to contest for the presidency of Uganda if he likes, he replied and said Muhoozi is too privileged and therefore cannot be treated like any other ordinary Ugandan.

“…I think you Journalists are very simplistic.  Muhoozi is not an ordinary Ugandan.  He can never be.  He has had things given to him by his father on a silver plate nearly all his life.  Because of his father, he has attended the most prestigious military schools on this planet.  His father has now made him the most powerful man in the army and yet he never fired a single bullet to liberate this country.  We are therefore saying there can never be a fair competition between Muhoozi and any other Uganda.  That is precisely why I told you that if the President tries force him onto Ugandans, then we shall fight him to death.  No doubt about that”, the General said.

Muhoozi will have to jump over my dead body

On Thursday last week, the second NRA veteran, who said he is still a serving General in the UPDF, approached the matter from the point of view of what he called the “glaring inequality” in the army.  He said if the President doesn’t address the problem urgently, then there will be mutiny in the army.

“…I am not concerned about this boy called Muhoozi; regardless of what his father is planning for him.  He will have to jump over my dead body to get to State House.  My concern is the glaring inequality that is very obvious in the army.  We cannot have a super special unit that gets everything when the rest of the soldiers eat beans and posho seven days a week.  That is a recipe for mutiny”, the General warned.

Like the first NRA veteran, this serving UPDF General also expressed his frustration at being unable to secure a one to one meeting with the President so that he can raise his concerns about what he sees in the army directly with him.

“…You see, we defeated UNLA because it was divided.  Today, our army is more divided than the UNLA.  For several years, I have tried to secure a face to face meeting with the President to raise my concerns with him but the people close to him have always blocked me.  For example the late Mayombo once told me straight in my face that I was just jealous of the new generation.  But we are not jealous.  We fought for the freedom that they are enjoying.  What we are now saying is that we want every Ugandan including our foot soldiers to enjoy the fruits of our sweat and blood.  We may look old in their eyes, but we can still fight them and defeat them”, the General warned again.

Our efforts to get a comment from UPDF Spokesman Lt. Col. Felix Kulaigye were futile by press time.  A young Major who is serving in Lt. Col. Muhoozi’s Special Forces Group [SFG] however dismissed the NRA veteran Generals’ concerns as “natural”.

“…I think it’s natural for our seniors to feel the way they feel.  They had their time, they served our country gallantly, but a new generation is now taking over.  Isn’t that the exact orderly succession they seem to be complaining about”, the SFG officer asked.  END.  Please login to www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories and anytime mid-week for our news updates.