Besigye insists he’s not fighting to be president, responds to Ugandans tired of him

Uganda’s veteran opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye has, in response to people claiming to be tired of him, reiterated his earlier position that he is not fighting to be president.

Besigye recently announced he wouldn’t stand for President in the 2021 election.

He instead told supporters of his main opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party he would concentrate on Plan B.

Party chairman Waswa Birigwa and FDC president Patrick Oboi Amuriat are competing in the race for 2021 presidential flag bearer.

Whoever wins, between Amuriat and Birigwa, will be the second FDC member to carry the party flag after Besigye who has held the ticket since 2006.

Besigye is convinced “nobody in FDC believes that an election will result in declaring somebody else other than Mr. Museveni as the president.”

“There is a window in the electoral process for us to talk to the people and get the message through. That remains important,” he told NBS from his home in Kasangati on August 24.

“Our candidates will have a message of liberation. Our message is that power will not be handed back to us. Ugandans must fight for it.”

The four-time presidential candidate also emphasized he was not interested in the country’s top seat, but in freedom.

“The prize that I am looking for is not to become the president: the prize is to have a country with citizens that have rights,” he said.

“I don’t care who leads. I will support anybody who has a liberation message.”

He also lashed at those who say they are fed up of his overstay in opposition politics.

“I don’t feed on public pockets, how can you be tired of me? You should be tired of Museveni, not me.”

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