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           Uganda Opposition Figure Calls for Presidential Term Limit

   by James Butty

   The former leader of Uganda's main opposition party -- Forum for
   Democratic Change (FDC) -- said any political survey done in Uganda
   should be viewed with some suspicion because Ugandans do not have the
   freedom to freely express their political views.
   However, Kizza Besigye said Ugandans have been unanimous since 1995 on
   the question of presidential term limit.
   This comes after a new opinion poll conducted by the Ugandan Daily
   Monitor newspaper found that 77 percent of Ugandans prefer the
   re-instatement of presidential term limit ahead of the 2016
   presidential election.
   Besigye, who has challenged President Yoweri Museveni in three
   different elections since 2001, said he's never going to participate in
   any elections organized under Museveni, where the president is both a
   contestant and judge.
   He said the demand for a presidential term limit is important for
   Ugandans because, since independence, the country has never had a
   peaceful transfer of power.

   "The question of the desire for [a] term limit of the presidency has
   been entirely unanimous right from the time the 1995 constitution was
   made.  And, you can understand why it would have such a unanimous
   support because Uganda, from the time it became a country, it has never
   had a peaceful transfer of power from one leader to another.  Every
   leader has come into office with bombs, and every leader has departed
   being chased by bombs," he said.

   Museveni said last month that the country's opposition would have to
   wait until 2056 before it can ever win the presidency.  His spokesman,
   Ofwono Opondo, said later that the opposition has no "proper program
   for Uganda."

   Besigye said the entire political opposition in terms of political
   parties and civil society organizations are all united in demanding
   fundamental political reforms ahead of any new election.

   "We have to restructure the state in order to create independent
   institutions of the state that can mediate political processes, so
   political parties can equitably compete for power. And, unless that
   happens, any election is a fraud," Besigye said.

   Besigye, who has challenged Museveni in three different elections since
   2001, said he's never going to participate in any elections organized
   under Museveni, where the president is both a contestant and judge.

   "I've made it abundantly clear that I will never participate in any
   election organized under the current regime of organizing elections
   where you have the incumbent, Mr. Museveni, being a contestant and a
   judge at the same time, where you have the military and security
   institutions being used to fight for the protection of the incumbent,"
   Besigye said.

   Besigye said opposition groups will gather in Kampala around June 7 to
   review the campaign for a free and fair election in Uganda, and take
   decisions on how to move forward in challenging what he calls the
   status quo.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/uganda-opposition-figure-calls-for-pr
   esidential-term-limit/1927304.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/uganda-opposition-figure-calls-for-presidential-term-limit/1927304.html