Politics
Uganda’s President Museveni hints at retirement in 2016
However, Lwemiyaga County MP Theodore Ssekikubo, one of the growing number of gadflies in the NRM, said Museveni should take responsibility and lead the succession process instead of passing the buck to the party.
With growing urban unrest fuelled by unemployment, rising cost of living and antipathy towards corruption at all levels of government, Museveni is increasingly coming under pressure to call time up on his long political career.
Last week, the Catholic Archbishop of Kampala, Dr Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, urged Museveni to peacefully relinquish power in 2016, saying it was the best gift he could give to the citizens of Uganda.
A similar call was echoed by the Anglican assistant Bishop of Kampala, Zac Niringiye, who is taking early retirement to campaign for the restoration of presidential term limits.
Scrapped term limits
The term limits, which would have forced Museveni to stand down in 2006, were scrapped in a process that did not enjoy popular appeal and after MPs were offered inducements to support the move.
Museveni, however, told CNN that debate on term limits and his longevity in office were not a priority. “What is important for Uganda,” he said, “is to deal with the country’s development bottlenecks and not who should be the president.”
Despite the president’s comment, debate on succession within the NRM has always been a no-go area, partly due to the president’s grip on the party.
