New Vision 17th Dec. 2005, www.newvision.co.ug

Presidential Candidates for elections on 23rd February 2006
 

DP-Candidate Ssebaana Kizito

Mao to head Ssebaana’s presidential campaigns

By Joyce Namutebi

GULU Municipality MP Norbert Mao has been appointed the campaign director for John Ssebaana Kizito, the democratic Party (DP) presidential candidate for the 2006 elections. The details of the appointment were to be announced at a press conference late yesterday.

DP will on Tuesday launch its national campaigns in Luweero district, the same area where President Yoweri museveni started his guerilla war against the Obote II regime over 20 years ago.

DP spokesperson Betty Nambooze yesterday said the party manifesto would also be launched at the rally in Luweero town.

She said although Luweero played a vital role in the liberation of the country, its role had not been recognised. She said by going to Luweero, DP is “re-launching the battle against bad leadership.”

Nambooze said the Luweero war was not yet over. “We want to declare war as DP using votes,” Nambooze said.

She said DP was starting its presidential bid from Luweero because it is Ssebaana’s birthplace. Ssebaana comes from Mpande in Bulemezi.

Nambooze also said DP would at the same function announce its cabinet, its team of 302 MPs and district chairpersons.

From Luweero, the party will proceed to the north.

Meanwhile, DP has acquired campaign offices near Pope Paul Memorial Community Centre on Masaka Road in Kampala.
 

UPC-Candidate: Miria Kalule Obote

UPC will restore term limits, says Miria

UPC EVERYWHERE: Miria and UPC national chairman Prof. Patrick Rubaihayo at Equatoria

By Geresom Musamali THE Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) presidential candidate, Miria Kalule Obote, has vowed to reform the Electoral Commission and restore presidential term limits if she wins the 2006 polls.

UPC will also abolish the death penalty because it is ‘murder by Government’, according to the party manifesto launched by Miria at a fundraising dinner at Hotel Equatoria in Kampala on Thursday.

About 100 supporters, including Omoro MP Jacob Oulanyah, were present. Others present were former Uganda Management Institute director James Kalebo, former Radio Uganda senior editor Magemeso Namungalu, former clerk of the National Assembly Edward Ochwo and Akbar Adoko Nekyon.

Apart from Oulanyah, all other MPs known to belong to UPC were absent. Also absent was Dr. James Rwanyarare, the former party pPC chief who is still waging a court battle against UPC.

Miria said, “UPC intends to drastically alter the method of governance which has been in place in the country. In the last 20 years, we have lived in a Uganda where policy issues are evolved and pronounced by and around the person of President Museveni.”


She added, “Institutions such as the civil service, the police and even the legislature have lost their independence. The normal checks and balances between the three arms of government have been compromised.”
 

FDC-Candidate Kizza Besigye

We won round one – Besigye

By Patrick Jaramogi

JAILED presidential candidate Kizza Besigye yesterday said he had won the first round of the presidential race.

Besigye was nominated by the Electoral commission at Namboole stadium on Wednesday as the Forum for democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate.
“The battle for round one is over. We have the second round, which we shall also win,” Besigye said in a jovial mood at Luzira Maximum security Prison during a meeting with Beti Kamya, FDC’s special envoy in the office of the president. Present were MP Miria Matembe and Kamya’s daughter Yunia Nakimbugwe.

Besigye and Kamya also discussed the FDC campaign strategies, according to sources. Besigye was dressed in his a blue, long sleeved shirt, black pair of trousers and wore black sandals and stockings.

“I am glad to see you. Be firm, all these will come to an end,” he told Matembe as he hugged her. Matembe, dressed in a grayish kitenge, also told Besigye to be firm. She later prayed for him in the room where two prison warders sat.
Matembe, who arrived at Luzira at 9:44am, said, “I always visit political prisoners. Even when Moses Ali was here, I visited him. We should be with them at this moment because shall need them tomorrow.”
After discussing with Besigye for one-and-half hours, Kamya emerged out of the prisons, saying they had instituted their campaign plans.

“We have big plans for the campaigns. We shall visit all corners of the country. Round one is over. We are tackling round two now,” she said as she drove away in her blue Pajero, registration no. UAD 899R. Besigye’s poster was pasted on the car bonnet. Besigye’s wife, Winnie b byanyima, also arrived at 11:10am.
 

Independent Candidate: Nasser Ntege Ssebagala

Seya vows to trim the Cabinet

By Paul Kiwuuwa and Madinah Tebajjukira

INDEPENDENT presidential candidate Nasser Ntege Sebaggala has vowed to trim the cabinet to 25, MPs to 200 and scrap Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) if he wins the 2006 elections.

Currently, the cabinet is composed of 64 ministers and there are 304 MPs. Addressing his first rally at Katwe in Kampala on Thursday after his nomination, Sebaggala boasted of being the most organised candidate.

He claimed that he took the shortest time to get nominated, and did not delay the Electoral commission (EC) officials.

“The EC spent 18 minutes to scrutinise my papers, saying I had set a record. But it took President Yoweri museveni 30 minutes to scrutinise his,” he said. Sebaggala was accompanied by Michael Mabikke.

He amused the crowd when he said all leaders had to be initiated at Katwe. He said he was a political revolutionary who was initiated at 13 years at Katwe, when he fought colonialists in 1958.

“I hit a white man in the eye with a stone and went into hiding in Nakivubo channel,” he boasted.
 

NRM/O Candidate; Yoweri Kaguta Museveni

Museveni explains 3rd term bid

By Alfred Wasike

PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has explained why he did not oppose the lifting of presidential term limits in the 1995 Constitution, saying he wants to see a strong East African Federation when he retires.

“The East African Federation was the main reason why I did not oppose the lifting of term limits in the Constitution. I want to leave a strong East Africa. I want to leave a strong Africa,” Museveni told journalists at the Nakasero State House on Thursday night. Discussing his 2006 election manifesto to be launched on December 29, Museveni stressed, “We need stability. We need to think more about Africa, not the Europe or America that our people worship. There was slavery for 500 years, what did the Pope or Archbishop of Canterbury do? Weren’t they aware?”

Pointing at himself, Museveni said, “I stand for African unity, nothing else. The most important thing for all of us is Africa’s unity, strength and prosperity. For example, we helped South Africa fight apartheid, they are helping us now. We sowed sacrifice and reaped prosperity. That should be our goal.”

He announced that his manifesto’s focus in the next five years will be “Prosperity For All”.

“In the last elections, our slogan was ‘No Change, Why Change, No Cause’ but this time, we are looking for prosperity for all,” he said.

“The Vision of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) is a peaceful, united, democratic, harmonious, industrialised, transformed and prosperous Uganda within a strong, federated East Africa and Africa coordinated through the African common market and a common defence treaty.”

“The Mission of NRM is to transform Uganda from a poor peasant society into a modern, industrial, middle class and skilled working class, as well as a united and prosperous society,” he said.

He said the NRM achievements include ending the reign of terror in Uganda perpetuated by regimes between 1962 to 1986, establishment of democracy, decentralisation of power, creation of regional tiers, professionalisation of the army, the justice, law and order sector and astute management of the transition from the Movement to multiparty politics.

Other achievements include fighting corruption, improvement of housing conditions, the transformation of Uganda through education, improvements in the health sector, providing safe water for all in more than 90 towns, good environmental strategies, road development/maintenance, improved power sector, fighting poverty through privatisation, liberalisation and job creation.

Others include introduction of non-traditional exports, a buoyant financial sector, improved agriculture and transforming rural communities. He said the NRM will also rehabilitate war-ravaged areas and improve land management.