Mixed feelings as Amama Mbabazi breaks silence on Presidential bid for 2016

In a video released on Monday 15th June 2015, John Patrick Amama Mbabazi, the former Prime Minister of Uganda broke the ice and declared his bid to stand for Ugandan presidency in 2016.

His declaration threw smiles to his supporters in the Uganda and this ignited several debates on various social media platforms.

However his declaration was welcomed with mixed feelings by many and the debate still continues as majority of youth seem moved by his speech.

According to Dunstan Basiima, Monitoring and Evaluation Manager at Center for Constitutional Governance (CCG) and consultant at Action aid international in his post he says; “Prosperity can’t be just for CEOs, NRM cadres and hedge fund managers; democracy can’t be just for billionaires and corporations, but for all Ugandans irrespective of political orientations.”

Ivan Rugambwa says John Patrick Amama Mbabazi aka `kalya Sausage` finally comes to the end of his long walk to his Presidential declaration.

But the questions are; “  Will Ugandans be swayed by his polished English, the calm demeanor & his 21st century conforming style of doing business?

Do Ugandans still believe that today’s NRM can become a `true, accountable & democratic movement?` If so, Is Amama the right steward to lead it there?

Does his 30year record in government aid his cause & promise, as the right man to herald a new dawn for Uganda?”

He adds, Perhaps the elephant in the room is, Will Amama make it to the list of NRM`s aspirants for the Party’s topmost position, a position that has known only one name since the party’s inception? If not what’s his plan B?& What does this mean for Uganda`s newest political alliance, “The Democratic Alliance?”

Meanwhile,  Nuwagaba Timothy a student at Makerere says, “As a word of hope & positivity, its only prudent we accord Mbabazi the platform to iron out all these pertinent issues rather than foiling his perchance 4 change on day one, no one has ever been perfect.”

Abaho Abel Rwenda in his analytical post, he reechoes that there is no big difference between Museveni and JPAM.

“As a salesman of Public Order Management Bill (now law), certainly Amama Mbabazi is not a paragon of democracy. I look forward to a process that will strike down that law, allowing freedoms to debate and organise in this Country leap skyward.

Beyond Amama Mbabazi, President Museveni is working to strengthen a new and vibrant generation (facebookers, innovators, tweeps, agile managers, imaginative leaders and pan Africanists) to navigate 21 Century challenges and take Uganda on a quantum leap into the 1st World.”

“Youth are not just fed up of NRM as a party, but they are yearning for change irrespective of the party. As youth, they don’t know what they wish to see.

When Sejjusa comes, they rally behind him, when Besigye comes youth run to him, Magumba Musa a student of Tourism from Makerere University said.

Watch the video below showing Amama Mbabazi declaring his intention for a presidential bid in 2016

By Davidson Ndyabahika