Kizza Besigye Drops Out Of Uganda’s Presidential Race

By Nsunjo Erica

The four-time presidential aspirant Dr.Kizza Besigye finally revealed that he will not be taking part in the coming 2021 presidential elections in Uganda.

Besigye’s decision to turn down the presidential nomination papers left his party, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) on the crossroads of who to support during the upcoming elections.

The party had postponed nominations of its presidential aspirants twice with the hope that Dr. Besigye would change his mind and pick the nomination forms.

Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party’s Dr. Kizza Besigye, on Wednesday, delivered an emotional speech in which he excused himself from running in the 2021 presidential election, despite being nominated. Dr. Besigye has attempted to challenge Uganda’s President Museveni for the country’s presidency in the last four elections since 2001 and has occasionally accused the President of rigging the elections.

“I am sure that I won the 2001 elections and the court also confirmed that the elections were not free and fair. I was shocked that on deciding whether the election should be canceled and repeated, three voted to uphold a sham election against two who said we repeat it,” Dr. Besigye

Uganda’s Kizza Besigye was President Museveni’s Bush war personal doctor however, he later decided to become an opposition leader for reasons best known to him but has occasionally addressed Museveni as a dictator.

Besigye has been arrested a number of times by authorities for accusing Museveni of rigging elections and causing a commotion in the country, at some point, Besigye swore himself in as the president of Uganda.

During his Wednesday speech, supporters blocked him from speaking unless he declared he would pick nomination forms for the party presidential flag bearer, but Besigye did not relent.

Dr. Besigye said his journey in politics started in 1981 when he joined the National Resistance Army/Movement armed struggle, as a medical doctor, with Mr. Museveni to liberate the country.

The man has for long been viewed as a strong leader of the opposition who has always dared strongman Yoweri Museveni.

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