Former Security Minister Lt. Gen. Henry Tumukunde has encouraged every Ugandan to stand for any elective office in the land.
He specifically called upon the youth not to hesitate standing for political office and also voting out those whom they think are going against their demands.
“Majority of Ugandans are actually below the age of 35 as far as I’m concerned they should exercise their right to vote,” Tumukunde said while appearing on NTV On The Spot.
“If you are so angry, you should vote out people who emphasize “we fought, we fought” he added.
Tumukunde added that the political space is open and anyone who wants a political job shouldn’t wait to be appointed.
On his intention of getting into the mayoral race of Kampala Capital City, Tumukunde calmly revealed that he had various options but decided to give politics another try.
He argued the past one year and half, he has been on ground doing research on what exactly the Kampala population demands from its leaders.
“I’m just testing the waters, checking the mood of people and the nature of the problem. Most people rush into these things without understanding the nature of the problem,” he said.
So far, his research has indicated that Ugandans surviving in the country’s capital miss a few things like stable electricity and water, demand for a planned life and less harassment from security personnel.
When asked if the mayoral race is a stepping stone to contesting to the highest office in the land, he said, “Politics is like a lift, if you join you be aiming to go higher.”
Last year in March, President Museveni made a double firing in the security circle. Tumukunde, the security minister and Inspector General of Police Kale Kayihura were sacked and replaced by Gen. Elly Tumwine and Martin Okoth Ochola respectively.