Four Cabinet ministers and about 28 MPs danced and chanted slogans supporting the third term at a rally in Sembabule on Saturday. They said President Yoweri Museveni should copy other African leaders and reign for life.

Energy minister Saida Bbumba said former Tanzania president Julius Nyerere ruled for 41 years, Nelson Mandela of South Africa retired at 90 while arap Moi of Kenya ruled for over 47 years and left power at 82. I support Museveni to copy from Moi, consider leaders like Omar Bongo of Gabon who has been in power for over 37 years, Fidel Castro of Cuba, and Muammar Gaddafi of Libya who began a revolution and even now nobody wants to remove him from power. "We should copy Gaddafi because even ours is a revolution, those opposing the third term want us to lose the future development Museveni wants to fulfill", Bbumba said.

Others said at the age of 59 Museveni was too young to retire. They included members of the Uganda Young Movementists under a programme codenamed Operation to return Museveni and The Movement Voice headed by Moses Byaruhanga. Others called on everybody to support Museveni to chase away the Malwa (anti-third term) group. They directed all those who introduced themselves to clarify their stand on the third term.

Bbumba was launching the Sh2b Ssembabule electricity scheme.
State minister for investment Sam Kutesa mobilised about 32 MPs to show support for the third term. Bumba said the power programme had just begun and Museveni was still lobbying for more support from donors. "We have a 10-year programme to take electricity to all parts of Uganda, please do not disturb this programme because Museveni is the only one whose language is heard in Washington where we get funds to do this work", she said. She said 144 projects would be launched in the next four months.

She said Uganda should not go by the United States pace on democracy because they have been independent for over 500 years yet Uganda had clocked just 41 years since independence.

She attacked the Malwa group for reportedly fighting development. "Museveni has turned this wilderness (Ssembabule) into a town by installing power here, he lobbies for money from donors. Without him nothing can be achieved because all the development is attributed to him", she said.

MPs from different parts of the country spoke on the slogan, Ekisanja (third term) compliance. They said Museveni should rule for life or until he is too old to continue. Sam Kutesa said, presidential term limits were undemocratic because many developed democratic countries do not have them. He said the Malwa group had been in power with Museveni for 17 years and were now abusing him.

"I was not a minister for five years and I survived. But those shouting now have been with him for 17 years, they retired from Parliament but not from ministerial posts. Why do some people fear to change the Constitution on only one issue of the presidential term, yet they want it changed on issues like federo and political pluralism?" he said.

Samuel Abura, from Matheniko said "We are ready to escort Museveni to Rwakitura after clocking 82 years", he said.

Mike Ssebalu from Busiro East said he wanted to take the third term issue to the African Parliament so that no leader is given a limit.

Others said Museveni was their milk-producing cow that should not be slaughtered now.

Rwemiyaga MP Theodore Ssekikubo was irked by pressure from other MPs and other Movement fans who wanted him to pronounce his stand on the third term. He refused to comply.

The New Vision: Tuesday, 20th January, 2004