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2004-01-02 Africa: Central
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Museveni retires as head of the Ugandan army
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This is from Kenya, but you can probably guess by the tone which side their bread is buttered on ...
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has retired from the army to concentrate on politics. President Museveni 59, has been in active military service for the better part of his life. He said yesterday in Kabale, 300 kilometres west of Kampala that the Army High Command, which he chairs as Lieutenant General, had granted him retirement. President Museveni said he was retiring from the army in order to participate in party politics.
President Museveni has been accused by his erstwhile close associates including Mr Eriya Kategaya, former first deputy Prime Minister and longest serving minister, that he wants to change the Constitution in order to have another term in office. Mr Kategaya wants President Museveni to respect the constitution and retire in 2006 as dictated by the Constitution. "I now feel the new struggle is to participate in party politics," he said. He said the law on political parties and other organisations law does not allow him to actively participate in politics while remaining in the army. President Museveni has not been able to take up a position in his newly registered National Resistance Movement Organisation party because he is still a serving military officer.
| He's the "president" and he's a member of the National Resistance Movement Organisation... What the hell is the Movement Organisation resisting? |
He did not say when he was allowed to retire. Early last year, due to lack of funds for retirement packages, the army had stopped senior officers from retiring. In the early 1970s, Mr Museveni participated in the Mozambique liberation struggles and later in the Uganda liberation war of 1979. Between 1981-86 President Museveni led a rebellion in central Uganda that toppled Dr Milton Oboteâs government and brought him to power. President Museveni until his retirement has been the commander of the armed forces and once in a while would go to the front line in northern Uganda to direct the battle against the Lordâs Resistance Army of Joseph Kony. Army spokesman, Major Shaban Mbatariza said that there was no reason to stop the President from retiring from the army. He said Mr Museveni would remain the commander in chief of the armed forces. Mr Museveni has been President since 1986, but the first ten years were transitional.
| Oh, well. That's different. |
He founded the National Resistance Army (NRA) in 1980, which changed to the Uganda Peopleâs Defence Force in line with the 1995 Constitution. The UPDF Bill 2003, now before Parliament, seeks among other things to bar serving officers and men from participating in politics. The Political Parties and Organisations Act also bars serving officers from participating in politics. Parliament is expected to vote on the UPDF Bill 2003 this month. When the Bill is passed then all soldiers serving in Parliament and local councils will have to resign their army posts or give up politics. 
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Posted by Dan Darling 2004-01-02 1:10:33 AM||
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