UGANDA: Analyst expects Yoweri Museveni's Presidential election victory to bring little political change

Record ID: 1531224

  • Title: UGANDA: Analyst expects Yoweri Museveni's Presidential election victory to bring little political change
  • Date: 22nd February 2011
  • Summary: POLITICAL ANALYST, DOCTOR GOLOOBA MUTEBI WALKING IN OFFICE VARIOUS OF MUTEBI IN OFFICE (SOUNDBITE) (English) UGANDAN POLITICAL ANALYST, DOCTOR GOLOOBA MUTEBI, SAYING: "I think that we are going to continue seeing President Museveni behaving almost the same way he has been behaving in the resent past or for the last 25 years. We are going to continue seeing the same problems that have been bedevilling this country, high level of corruption, we are going to see infrastructure continue to fall apart, the quality of services will continue to deteriorate or remain as poor as it is now. I think that this heavy mandate, unless something really has happened to turn President Museveni around or induce him to do a very deep soul searching, I don't see him changing." JOURNALIST TALKING TO MUTEBI (SOUNDBITE) (English) UGANDAN POLITICAL ANALYST, DOCTOR GOLOOBA MUTEBI, SAYING: "I think we, Ugandans, regardless of what we think of Kizza Besigye as an individual we should thank him for the very, very important role he's played in this country in politics. He decided to contest against President Museveni at the time when nobody thought it was possible, when nobody thought that it will be a safe thing to do but obviously, as we saw, President Museveni reacted very badly, he harassed him, he treated him very badly, many of his supporters were killed, many of his supporters were maimed but Kizza Besigye has stayed steadfast and pressurised Museveni and his government into carrying out several changes." VARIOUS OF KAMPALA STREET SCENES
  • Embargoed: 9th March 2011 04:48
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Uganda, Uganda
  • Country: Uganda
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAEC0FU7CRB7PP6HB9NPWCQWHJW
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: A day after Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, one of Africa's longest serving leaders, won election to a fourth term in office by a huge margin, business in the capital Kampala appeared as usual and analysts predicted that a political change was unlikely.
    Museveni won 68 percent of the vote against challenger Kizza Besigye's 26 percent in a disputed presidential vote, electoral commission results showed on Sunday (February 20).
    Soldiers and police patrolled on foot and in armoured personnel carriers, and riot police were ferried back to their barracks as there was no need of them on the streets.
    Many Ugandans complain their country is riddled with corruption and lacks investment in public services and infrastructure.
    Others respect Museveni for restoring stability and overseeing a period of sustained economic growth in a country previously plagued by despots such as Idi Amin.
    Political analyst Dr. Golooba Mutebi said the citizens should not expect a change in presidential policies after re-electing Museveni.
    "I think that we are going to continue seeing President Museveni behaving almost the same way he has been behaving in the resent past or for the last 25 years. We are going to continue seeing the same problems that have been bedevilling this country, high level of corruption, we are going to see infrastructure continue to fall apart, the quality of services will continue to deteriorate or remain as poor as it is now. I think that this heavy mandate, unless something really has happened to turn President Museveni around or induce him to do a very deep soul searching, I don't see him changing," Mutebi told Reuters.
    Besigye, who was competing against Museveni in a third consecutive election, said he had lost faith in the Supreme Court and was mulling his next move.
    Besigye has repeatedly said a fraudulent poll could trigger an Egypt-style revolt. But political analysts doubted the popular appetite for protest and said Besigye had lost momentum.
    However, Mutebi said that Besigye should be appreciated for the struggles he endured while trying to change the governance and the way he was treated by Museveni.
    "I think we, Ugandans, regardless of what we think of Kizza Besigye as an individual, we should thank him for the very very important role he's played in this country in politics. He decided to contest against President Museveni at the time when nobody thought it was possible, when nobody thought that it will be a safe thing to do but obviously, as we saw, President Museveni reacted very badly, he harassed him, he treated him very badly, many of his supporters were killed, many of his supporters were maimed but Kizza Besigye has stayed steadfast and pressurised Museveni and his government into carrying out several changes," Mutebi said.
    With another five-year term, Museveni will chart Uganda's emergence as a top-50 oil producer. British exploration firm Tullow Oil expects to start producing oil in 2012.
    A tax dispute however has delayed Tullow's plans to sell stakes in its Ugandan oil blocks to China's CNOOC and Total.
    Both Museveni and his NRM party made huge gains in northern Uganda, the centre of a two-decade rebellion that has now fizzled out, as well as a traditional opposition stronghold.
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