We can remove Museveni without guns - Besigye tells Ugandans

Four-time Presidential candidate, Rtd Col Dr Kizza Besigye has rallied Ugandans to form groups across the country to be able to take over power from President Museveni before the 2026 general elections.

Mr Besigye was on April 3 responding to Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) leaders and supporters from Greater Mbarara during the Katonga section consultative meeting at Mbarara Catholic Social Center.

The leaders asked the Katonga section to form a new Political Party and that Mr Besigye should be the one to lead them in the 2026 general elections.

The FDC Chairperson for Mbarara City, Mr Stanley Katembeya, said the people of Mbarara are ready to support Besigye in the 2026 elections if he offers himself to stand for the fifth time.

"People of Mbarara are saying that they want you to stand in 2026 because they believe that you have done a lot for them,” he said.

Mr Amon Twesigomwe, the FDC chairperson for Rwampara District said “the people of Rwampara agreed that Kizza Besigye should not be outside the leadership of the new formation and should be on the ballot of 2026.”

In his response, Dr Besigye said Ugandans should not wait for 2026 to remove Museveni but should rather unite as individual groups of people to win the struggle by peaceful means without using a gun.

“I will not sit here waiting for 2026. Please stop looking at 2026 but rather ensure that this government is removed. Do you know people who die every day because of the situation in the country and we wait for 2026? I want us to look at tomorrow because it is possible,” he said.

Besigye said the option of using guns to take over the government is old-fashioned which will lead to loss of innocent lives but once people are united and understand the message, they can easily take power without guns.

“If we decide all of us and say starting from next week, Ugandans want to retain their country and decide not send any food to Kampala. In one week, the soldiers with their hunger will ask Ugandans what they need. To change the country does not take time but takes understanding of each other and sacrifice,” he said.

He beseeched Ugandans to help him remove Museveni from power before he celebrates his 70th birthday.

“This month of April, I will be fully 68. The Bible says that our years are 70 and if we get powerful, we reach 80. Beyond that, it is only suffering. Wait for Museveni who has reached 80 and is still refusing to give up,” he said.

Besigye said President Museveni fears when people unite themselves to fight a similar cause because unity is the strength of every struggle.

“We are in a struggle not as FDC but everybody who knows that he is in slavery is in the struggle. We must all fight together that is why when we formed United Forces of Change (UFC) to start rallying Ugandans, the following day security besieged our homes because of fear,” he said.

He added “Before we came out of house arrest, National Unity Platform Party (NUP) started fighting within themselves instead of continuing with the struggle, we are now trying to cease fire in NUP.”

He said the war is not on who takes the leadership but rather returning back power and authority to Ugandans.

“We are not fighting looking for leaders, we are in the fight to return power and authority back to Ugandans because since 1966, Ugandans have never had power but rather those who received from the colonialists kept it to themselves,” he said.

FDC Katonga section are conducting consultative meetings with their supporters in Western Uganda. They started with Greater Mbarara. On April 4, they will be in Kabale District before heading to Rukungiri on April 5 and Bushenyi on April 6.



Bishop Stuart University Guild President Arnold Ankunda (L) with other students endorsing Dr Kizza Besigye as their Candidate for 2026 elections on April 3, 2024