The Monitor (Kampala)

Uganda: Museveni Tells Besigye to Accept Election Defeat

Kampala — PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni yesterday outlined his plans for the next five years focusing on security, energy, roads, and micro finance.

In a victory speech at his country home in Rwakitura, he compared his re-election to the January 26, 1986 take-over of Kampala and advised the opposition to concede defeat.

He also gave fresh hints about his personal future.

Asked whether he will seek re-election after his third expires in 2011, Museveni said he doesn't want to discuss that.

He said, however, that in 2011 he will be an old man, and he wouldn't want "to be running around".

He reassured Ugandans that nobody has the capacity to distabilise the country. "Accept the constitutional process, organise yourselves because you are allowed, and then submit yourselves in five years' time," he told the opposition.

"Don't try to waste our time because you will not go far."

The Electoral Commission on Saturday declared President Museveni the winner of the first multiparty election in Uganda in 25 years.

He won 59 percent of the vote and his closest challenger, Forum for Democratic Change President Kizza Besigye got 37 percent. He has since rejected the election outcome, saying there were a lot of electoral irregularities. Mr Museveni said at a later press conference also at Rwakitura that it's not up to the FDC to accept or reject the results.

"Anyone who can change the result would be the courts of law. If they (opposition) continue to reject the result, they would be spoiling their record. They should be calm and obey the verdict of Ugandans. If they don't they will lose," he said.

Museveni said that intelligence before elections showed that FDC was threatening to cause violence if it didn't win.

He said it's too late for anyone to attempt violence because this is the first time that Uganda has built a complete army.

"Those who have got elusions of using violence should simply forget," he said.

He added that nobody can "burn Kampala". "If you do that you shall burn yourself. You burn somebody's property, you will answer because we shall get you and we may not even give you a chance to burn somebody's property." He said in the next five years, Uganda is "going to jump and take off and fly". He said the basics are there and it's only a question of now launching the "real programme".

President Museveni, who has been at the helm for the last 20 years, said those have been "a curtain raiser".

He promised to increase micro finance for artisans engaged in metal work. He pledged more energy and better roads including the Mukono-Kyetume-Kisoga, Fort Portal to Bundibugyo and the Mpigi-Kabasanda-Mpenja roads.

Others are one from Ruhaama to the border and the Mbale-Bubulo-Magale.

"Those roads have been causing arguments whenever we campaign; I have already talked with the minister of works and finance to ensure that we find a solution to these roads," he said.

Museveni thanked his supporters for rejecting "the old bad groups that had disguised themselves as new ones" and "external meddling".

He said it reminded him of how he defeated other groups to take power in 1986. "This recent struggle reminds me of that because all the bad groups collected together and we have now defeated them together with their support," he said.

"This shows that you are very mature, you are very aware, you cannot be easily confused." He added, "You are able to see through the façade of lies and obscurantism and see the reality. The issue was essentially whether the old groups under new guises would reassert themselves in the politics of Uganda or the movement would continue to prevail and provide leadership. You have now answered that question. You have said that this alliance, this coalition of bad elements is not acceptable to us."

He said there were some groups from outside who were busy trying to run Uganda but by re-electing him, the voters had also rejected external meddling.

"I have told them clearly that Ugandans will run Uganda," he said. Museveni has said in the past that several donor countries attempted to dissuade him from seeking a third term. They later cut-off aid when Parliament amended the constitution to allow him to run.

Museveni has said before that he would consider quitting only after his dream of the East African Federation and a greater Africa are achieved.

In 2010, East Africa will have a joint presidency and by 2013, its planned the federation would be led by one president. If Museveni bounces back as president after 2011 he will be in contention for East African President.

Tagged: East Africa, Uganda

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