President Yoweri Museveni should behave like a "Mwalimu" (teacher) by nurturing and handing over power to the younger generation within the next two years, Prof Yash Tandon has advised.
Tandon is a member of famous and historical gang of four made up of influential academics including; Prof Edward Rugumayo, late Prof Omwony Ojok and Prof Dani Wadada Nabudere and were instrumental in establishing the Uganda National Liberation Front (UNLF).
Prof Tandon has worked at different levels since the 1960s as an academic, teacher, political activist and thinker and is well versed with Uganda's politics and political change.
Last week he launched his book titled "Common People's Uganda" at Hotel Africana in Kampala. The book is a Marxist-socialist manifesto of sort that he presents to Uganda as a panacea to the current ills and misdirection.
According to Tandon, Ugandans need a national dialogue uniting all political forces. He says the dialogue should structure a two-year transition government, through which, Museveni should prepare to hand over power to the young generation.
"Have a national dialogue for two years where we have change of government. President Museveni, whom I hold in high esteem and is a good friend of mine, please, please mr president let the younger generation take over. Mr president be a teacher, be a mwalimu to the younger generation, and even I can join forces again and bring up a new generation with a new vision." Tandon said.
Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, has sent out all indications that he is not about to hand over power. While launching the fourth phase of the national backbone infrastructure connectivity project in Koboko over the weekend, Museveni said because of the uniqueness of Africa's problems, leadership on the continent is for the chosen few and is not like food where everyone has to take a share. He said a 75-year-old leader like himself should never be pushed out of power if they still have a contribution to make to society.
After amending the Constitution in 2017 to scrap the 75-year age limit cap, Museveni has since secured the endorsement of the central executive committee (CEC) of his ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) as the sole party candidate ahead of the 2021 elections. He euphorically accepted the endorsement.
But Prof Tandon says time is up for Museveni although he urged Ugandans not look at Museveni as the chief enemy, saying the enemy is neo-liberalism summons by western institutions such as the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, World Trade Organisation (WTO) among others, which have captured Uganda specifically and Africa in general.
A united Uganda, he argues is what is needed to fight western imperialism. He also argues that political leaders should unite to broach a socialist vision that works for ordinary Ugandans.
He further scolded Uganda's opposition for the endless clashes within their ranks instead of combining forces.
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