Museveni to Bobi Wine: State Anything Different or Join NRM

By Fred Kiva

President Yoweri Museveni has challenged Kyadondo East Member of Parliament Robert Kyagulanyi to present a different policy if he wants to convince Ugandans for support.

Museveni who on Monday during a flight to Japan responded to some of his social media followers said, “Politics is about competing policies. Our policy is well stated. Let the others also state theirs. If they do not have anything different, then support what is on the ground.”

The President described as “unnecessary” a suggestion by one of the followers that Bobi Wine should launch an armed struggle if he wants to topple the NRM government. Museveni emphasized that politics is about convincing people with policies.

Recently Bobi Wine declared that he will not seek parliamentary re-election in 2021 to concentrate on his presidential bid. The president responded to quite a number of issues as raised by his social media followers. He promised to keep a regular and direct interaction with the people. “I have now resolved not only to work through emissaries [MPs, Chairmen, Councilors, etc), but to also use all direct channels to the population. Social - media addresses those with smartphones who are 8million in number,” the President said.

Meanwhile the President refused to discuss the Uganda-Rwanda relations despite it being one of the issues raised. “We have discussed all this, not only with President Kagame, but also with the other regional leaders: H.E Kenyatta, H.E Lorenco, H.E Tshisekedi, H.E Magufuli, and H.E Sassou Nguesso. However, I refuse to discuss inter-state matters in the press, including social media,” he emphasized.

Last week Presidents, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Rwanda's Paul Kagame signed an agreement to improve the political and economic relations between their two countries. The pact signed in the Angola capital Luanda came months after sour relations between the two East African countries prompting Rwanda to close its border with Uganda at Katuna in February.