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He has only been party president for a few days but former UN under Secretary General, Dr Olara Otunnu seems to have hit the ground running. In this report, Moses Kalanzi reports from Kampala how Otunnu plans to bring Gen Museveni down.
 The end of president Museveni's era as custodian of the Ugandan state could be near. This, according to newly elected Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) President, Olara Otunnu, is not far as many Ugandans have been made to think.
Speaking at his first public appearance since becoming UPC president in a tightly contested election , Ambassador Otunnu warned Mr. Museveni to prepare for retirement from the position he has held for the last quarter of a century making him Africa's second longest serving ruler. "I have big news for Museveni. That era is over. We are going to challenge [him] frantically without fear and [we will not be intimidated]," Otunnu said amidst cheers and ululations from party diehards.
The former UN boss also warned security services against intimidating opposition politicians as the country slides towards the 2011 presidential and parliamentary elections. "We shall not let Museveni get away with accidental deaths and criminal killings of opposition political leaders."
Dr. Otunnu said his party shall investigate all cases of intimidation and extra-judicial killing of opposition members and hold Mr. Museveni accountable. Otunnu is a survivor of a recent accident involving his motorcade and the Presidential Guard Brigade in Gulu District of Northern Uganda. He believes that the accident was an attempt at prematurely ending his life. He added that it was also an attempt to block the democratic process in Uganda after expressing his intentions to stand against Museveni in the 2011 polls.
The UPC leader called for electoral reforms lambasting the Electoral Commission for failing democracy in Uganda arguing that there should be no compromise with the Hajji Kiggundu -led Commission which has been twice proved incompetent by the highest courts of law. Ambassador Otunnu also called upon the opposition to galvanise support around a single candidate. According to Dr. Otunnu Political parties must unite to cause regime change in Uganda.
Otunnu whose last position in Uganda's politics was as Foreign Minister during the short-lived regime of Gen Tito Okello, is among the main contestants for the 2011 presidential polls which also have Democratic Party's Nobert Mao, Jaberi Bidandi Ssali of the Peoples Progressive Party and the winner between retired Col. Dr Kiiza Besigye and Gen. Mugisha Muntuyera for Forum for Democratic Change. His main challenger to the joint candidacy is Dr. Kiiza Besigye who has twice wrestled Mr. Museveni and earned a term in prison alongside other state inspired crimes including rape. Dr. Besigye also lost his brother Kifeefe in Luzira prison on charges of treason and conspiring to overthrow Mr. Museveni's government.
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Sulaiman Kigundu`s death (1)
