Former security minister, Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde, has all reasons to smile and intensify mobilization for support after the Electoral Commission has verified signatures endorsing his 2021 presidential bid.
As prerequisite for one to stand for presidency, aspirants are tasked to secure a 100 endorsement signatures from a minimum of 98 districts. This means one must present 9800 signatures of people seconding his presidential bid.
It is only 19 aspirants out of 84 that picked nomination papers have so far returned them with signatures backing their aspirations to occupy the country’s topmost job. Other signatures including those of Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine are still being scrutinized.
EC’s acting spokesperson, Paul Bukenya, on Sunday told journalists that Lt Gen Tumukunde’s signatures had been found with no issues and have since been cleared. The three-star General now waits to be nominated early next month.
Gen Tumukunde joins President Yoweri Museveni and two others as aspirants whose signatures have been verified. Museveni sacked Gen Tumukunde on March 4, 2018 alongside then IGP Gen Kale Kayihura.
Nevertheless, Museveni’s biggest challenger, if nothing changes in the coming days, will be Bobi Wine who was only four years old when he took over power in 1986. Museveni who was the last in the 1980 fraudulent elections took to the bush and fought Milton Obote’s government until he ascended to power on January 26, 1986. Close to a million people are estimated to have been killed in the war that brought Museveni to power.
Since 2001, Museveni has been facing off with his former doctor, Kizza Besigye. But Besigye declared no intentions to stand for presidency in 2021 and his FDC party has since given the flag to Patrick Oboi Amuriat.