Veteran Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni was on Tuesday
nominated as his party's candidate in the 2021 presidential election in which
he will be seeking a sixth term in office.
Museveni, 75, a former rebel leader who seized power in
1986 and was first elected a decade later, changed the constitution in 2005 to
abolish a two-term limit.
In 2019 the Supreme Court confirmed the scrapping of the
age limit for the presidency, paving the way for a further election bid.
"The president was today nominated as the party flag
bearer in the coming general elections," said Rogers Mulindwa, spokesman
for the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
"There has been common desire within the party that
the president becomes our sole candidate given his great contribution to the
country and Africa," Mulindwa said.
Museveni is facing a challenge from music
star-turned-politician Bobi Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi.
He has won support among a youthful population who have
only ever known one president.
NRM Electoral Commission chairperson Dr Tanga Odoi said so
far is there is no challenger against Museveni as none of his rivals have
returned nomination forms for both offices. He explained that as the party
Electoral Commission, they are satisfied with the candidature of Museveni and
without a doubt, he’s the best person to lead Uganda.
"We as Electoral Commission are satisfied that we have
done a thorough job because we don’t have any doubt that we have the best
candidate for the party of NRM. We, therefore, hand over the candidate Yoweri
Kaguta Museveni to the secretariat…The country Uganda doesn’t have shortage of
trees growing, it doesn’t have a problem of grass growing. Since 1962 it has
had a problem of leadership, I can write books, thesis on that," Tanga
said.
Odoi also dismissed claims that they have frustrated
attempts by other party members to challenge Museveni. He said as the NRM Electoral
Commission, for as long as a member has fulfilled the conditions set by the
central executive committee (CEC) of the party, they don’t have any problem
nominating anybody else.
Last week, the former Makindye East MP John Ssimbwa picked
nomination papers to challenge Museveni for the position of NRM party
chairperson. He, however, failed to return the nomination forms and accused
Odoi of failing to avail him with the guidelines that were to be followed.
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