Presidential aspirant and National Unity Platform (NUP) president, Hon Robert Sentamu Kyagulanyi has hit back at Gen. Muhoozi Keinerugaba, referring to him as a coward who prides in violence rather than democracy.
Kyagulanyi’s remarks follows a statement Gen. Muhoozi posted on twitter on Tuesday, cautioning Kyagulanyi never to “intimidate” or provoke members of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) into a fight because he can’t win a fight against them.
Gen. Muhoozi made the comments immediately after Kyagulanyi’s successful nomination to contest as president in the forthcoming general elections. In his post-nomination speech, Kyagulanyi hit at the incumbent, Yoweri Museveni’s long stay in government and called on “change-minded” Ugandans to rally behind him to depose what he called a dictatorship.
“I told you my young brother, that you can NEVER intimidate us. We are much stronger than you can ever imagine to be. If you want to fight we will simply defeat you. We want peace! But if you attempt to fight us then Bring it on!” Gen. Muhoozi tweeted on Tuesday.
Gen. Muhoozi is a serving army officer and a son to the incumbent president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni who has ruled Uganda for the last 34 years. Museveni is seeking a five year term which will see him extend his stay in power to 40 years.
In the response made through his twitter handle, Kyagulanyi told off Gen. Muhoozi that boasting of violence is a cowardly act and the General should be ashamed of his statements. Kyagulanyi said
“Only cowards & weak men boast of violence! You should be ashamed. Ours is a non-violent call for action. You know that in a free & fair election, your father the old tyrant, would be no more. This country belongs to Ugandans, not you and your father. You will soon understand that” Kyagulanyi said.
News reports indicate that Kyagulanyi was arrested along Jinja Road a few miles off the nomination centre, in a convoy of vehicles but it was later communicated that he was taken to his home. However, several of his supporters sustained serious bruises in a scuffle with security operatives during the arrest.
Kyagulanyi Sentamu is going to contest against, Yoweri Museveni, Mugisha Muntu, Henry Tumukunde, John Katumba, Patrick Amuriat Oboi, and Willy Mayambala; who have already been cleared to stand for Presidency.
Kyagulanyi, who rose through ranks from being known as a musician to a Member of Parliament for Kyadondo East constituency in Wakiso District, and nowadays he is the National Unity Platform Party President.