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Former Energy Minister Sir Richard Kaijuka on Thursday made a direct appeal to President Yoweri Museveni to oversee a peaceful and orderly power transition as part of his legacy.
Speaking at the memorial service of the late Eria Kategaya, held at Kololo Independence Grounds, Kaijuka reflected on Kategaya’s principles of honesty, integrity, and patriotism, urging the president to honour the values they both upheld.
The event was graced by President Museveni and First Lady Janet.
My heartfelt prayer and humble request to Your Excellency, Mr President, as his childhood friend, is that it would have been Kategaya’s wish for you to guide this country through a peaceful and orderly transition as a lasting legacy to the nation you have both served with dedication,” Kaijuka stated.
He also urged Museveni to engage with senior elders over the age of 75, arguing that their extensive experience and deep patriotism could provide valuable and honest counsel on critical national matters.
“These comrades are not seeking jobs, and they don’t want any favours. They simply wish to offer sincere, selfless advice in the spirit of safeguarding the values and aspirations for which you all sacrificed,” he added.
Kategaya’s Legacy of Integrity
Kaijuka paid tribute to Kategaya as a man who stood by his word, even when it was politically unpopular.
Kategaya, a long-time ally of Museveni, fell out with him in the early 2000s over the removal of presidential term limits, a move he opposed on grounds of principle.
Despite being dismissed from government, he later reconciled with Museveni and returned to serve as First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Affairs until his death in 2013.
“Kategaya’s enduring legacy is that of a man who loved his country deeply, upheld honesty, and stood by his word. Say what you mean and mean what you say—that is what future generations must learn from him,” Kaijuka remarked.
Kaijuka’s remarks come at a time when calls for a power transition have gained momentum in Uganda’s political discourse.
However, President Museveni recently dismissed the idea as unimportant, insisting that his priority remains addressing Africa’s deeper challenges.
“I hear people like Norbert Mao talking about transition and how he would like to sit in the audience and see me handing over power… but I don't think that is the most important thing,” Museveni stated at a recent NRM meeting.
“I have said that if I still have strength, I will put my point of view. I am not going to retire when the original problems and why Africa nearly perished are not addressed,” he added.
Museveni, in power since 1986, has consistently rejected pressure to step down, arguing that Uganda’s stability and progress require his continued leadership.