The Uganda Times: Was Amama Mbabazi Forced Into A Political Contest ...

The Uganda Times: Was Amama Mbabazi Forced Into A Political Contest ...: Was Amama Mbabazi Forced Into A Political Contest Against President Museveni? When john Patrick Amama Mbabazi was announci...

Was Amama Mbabazi Forced Into A Political Contest Against President Museveni?

Was Amama Mbabazi Forced Into A Political Contest Against President Museveni?

• Its unlikely That Amama Would Have Contested For The Presidency If He Had Not Been sacked as PM and SG Respectively
• There Is No Evidence To Prove That He Was Building a power base Prior To the Kyankwanzi Resolution 
• Amama wouldn't have propagated and agitated for the public management act if he was nursing presidential ambitions

When john Patrick Amama Mbabazi was announcing his presidential bid on YouTube, he looked like a man struggling to chat with his mother in-law-a known taboo in African culture.

You could see that he was trying his level best to generate courage from the innermost part of his soul to announce the presidential bid.  At one time he looked as if he was not breathing.

I instinctively deduced that he was speaking from a teleprompter so as to avoid contradiction because his eyes were fixed on the screen.

Even his written speech for the bid had a lot of typos, a sign that he was panicking while drafting the statement. But all the same, his announcement was a relief to many who had yearned for it for a very long time.

Background Check

But when you do background check on Amama’s presidential bid, you will find signs that show that probably JPAM was probably forced into this presidential race.

First of the entire message he submitted as a motivation for contesting for the presidency was not as powerful or compelling as expected. Otherwise, if he had prepared himself for a very long time, you could have noticed it from the strength of the message that motivated him to stand.

Anyone will tell you that his eight point program is not as compelling as it should have been. I tend to think that it’s not a message from a man who has harbored presidential ambitions for a very longtime.

Amama’s eight point manifesto shows that there was not enough research done- a sign that he was forced into crafting one to fit with the circumstances.

Even his interview on the BBC with Allan Kasuja is more of a surface analysis of what he intends to do when he becomes president of the republic.  He sounds more as someone lamenting rather than providing a solution to the challenges faced by the country.

Of course one can say that Amama has got a more vivid campaign arsenal of well designed t-shirts, posters, songs and a slogan that goes with it.

But campaign materials don’t require a lot of input. All you need is choice of color, in which case he had yellow at his disposal and a willing artist and printer to produce them.

We have all talked about Amama’s long silence and hesitation at announcing his presidential bid but we have ignored that fact that perhaps the man was probably not prepared to take on his longtime friend.

Amama has known president Museveni for the last forty years. It was therefore always going to be very difficult for him to come out and challenge him in a bloody political contest.

Remember, they say that politics is war without bloodshed, while war is politics with bloodshed.

So Amama really needed a ‘compeller’ to push him into a political duel with the man who gave him an opportunity to serve in a various juicy political posts in the NRM government.

Many of the NRM officials say that they were not surprised by Amama’s presidential bid.

Of course you cannot make someone a secretary general and prime minister and you don’t expect him to harbor bigger ambitions. In fact , in more civilized democracies, a secretary general normally ends up taking the presidency.

Absolute Contradiction

But during his reign as secretary general, Amama never exhibited signs that proved that he carried presidential ambitions.

As secretary general he had the chance to make a countrywide network by staging rallies that would propel his presidential ambitions.

But I don’t remember him making country wide tours as SG of the NRM party. I don’t remember him opening up party branches which he could have taken advantage of as his political machinery across the country.

I don’t remember him gracing big events or rallies to raise his political aspirations.

How then did he look ambitious without engaging in any ambitious activities?

As a matter of fact, I think the presidential ambitions were practically imposed on him.

Why do I say so?

Because If Amama had shelved presidential ambitions, he would never have signed the Kyankwanzi resolution that endorsed president Museveni as the sole candidate for NRM.

He would never have gone on electronic media to tell the world that he will never run against president Museveni. He would have avoided getting involved in NRM party activities that endorsed president Museveni.

If Amama had underlying presidential ambitions, he would have resigned as secretary general, on the day of the Kyankwanzi resolution.

He would also have resigned as prime minister and immediately embarked on the process of undermining the Museveni candidature and promoting his.
Adn most importantly of all, if JPAM was nursing ambitions ,he would never have pioneered the public management bill ( now an act) which would make it impossible to stage political rallies. 
He wouldn't  have propagated for the law that allowed government to tap peoples phones because he would be conscious of the fact that he was about to leave government and take it on as an opponent.
Even the long time he took to make a declaration shows that perhaps he wasn't nursing any aspirations.

The Compelling Factors

But many things happened that could have compelled JPAM to compete against Museveni.

And one of them was the heckling he suffered at Kyankwanzi where he was called all sorts of names.

The heckling which including calling names like snake, traitor was also followed by his sacking as secretary general and eventually as prime minister.

Then the political atmosphere for him became inevitable for him to shun the temptation to announce his candidate with many Ugandans calling on him to run against president Museveni.

Many of you have not sat down to internalize what would have happened if president Museveni had probably not sacked JPAM as secretary general and prime minister respectively.

But the obvious answer is that Amama would not have contested against president Museveni if he had not been sacked and picked out for heckling.
 

And the reason is simple; JPAM has lived in the comfort zone for so long that its highly unlikely that he would have sacrificed his privileges as SG and PM to run as presidential candidate.

Secondly, Amama doesn’t exude the character of an African politician who lies low for votes.

Anybody who has associated with him closely will tell you that he is a little bit aloof and doesn’t have the universal tolerance that an African politician must have to win the mandate of the masses.

Thirdly, Amama knows how unpopular he is with the bush war generals of the NRM that he couldn’t have dared to come out to challenge president Museveni who has been shielding him from their wrath.  His main undoing is that he never practically participated in the bush war that brought the NRM to power.

During the bush war is known to have been accused of enjoying privileges of the struggle, earning himself the nickname karyasausage( he who eats sausages) to amplify the lavish life he enjoyed in the diaspora.

Although he later countered those accusations by renaming himself karyaburo ( he who eats millet), many bush war fighters who are still alive have very little regard for him for his absolute failure to appear in the warzones. Although he was known to be part of the external wing of the bush war struggle, there was a unanimous view that the external wing failed to execute the war to the expectations of everyone concerned.

And since he was the part of the external wing that had failed in its mandate, it took him a very longtime to get a big post in the immediate NRM government that swore to power in 1986.

He only rose systematically through the ranks when general elections started to make president Museveni desperate for legal brains like him.  

That’s why you realize that while the likes of Maj Gen Jim Muhwezi and Maj Gen Kahinda Ottafire initially enjoyed big ministerial positions , Amama was not anywhere near a big cabinet post.

Museveni later started having a fondness for Amama and propelled him to bigger cabinet posts because the times had changed from the bush war mentality to the tricky terrain of political engineering that involved elections.

That’s why JPAM was honestly saying that he was not intending to run for president as long as president Museveni was involved because he was grateful for the olive branch that was extended to him.

All this shows that probably, Amama was forced into the presidential race by the ever changing political circumstances that were beyond his control.

family pressure?/
one can ask , but what about the background political work of his wife Jacqueline and sister in law Hope Mwesigye and another one in the diaspora called Alice Ruhindi?

Yes they have been mobilizing for Amama but when you look at the timing of the campaigns of these ladies you will realize that they started the political mobilization soon after the announcement of the Kyankwanzi resolution.

The voice recordings which implicated Jacqueline into mobilizing for her husband Amama's bid are less than a year old. if Jacqueline had 

So therefore, ladies and gentlemen, I beg to go, but with the hope that you will not misunderstand what am trying to say. But the question is whether JPAM had all along nursed presidential ambitions or not. And my submission so far is that there is scanty evidence to prove that HE harbored ANY PRESIDENTIAL AMBITIONS prior to the pronouncement of the Kyankwanzi resolution.

Ends

The author Fred Daka Kamwada-Kamwada is a senior journalist and blogger. you can reach him on kamwadafred@yahoo.com

Why The 2021 Elections Might Be About The Sons Of Former Presidents Apollo Milton Obote, Gen Idi Amin And President Museveni

Why The 2021 Elections Might Be About The Sons Of Former Presidents Apollo Milton Obote, Gen Idi Amin And President Museveni

• ·         The Jimmy Akena Presidential Bid More Than Justifies The Muhoozi Project and the dynastic trend in Ugandan politics

Last week Hon Jimmy Akena was elected as the president of the Uganda people’s congress party.

Notwithstanding the misgivings, doubts and apprehensions held by the outgoing UPC party president ambassador Olara Ottunu  and vice president Mr Bossa ,both of whom claim that it was a flawed process , the Jimmy Akena bid is welcome because it raises the nostalgia associated with the reign of his father , the late president Apollo Milton Obote. 

AKENA RELEVANCE

Although UPC certainly looks like a party that lost relevance, with many of its top leadership crossing to NRM, Hon Jimmy Akena might somehow reawaken some of its lost appeal, mainly from those who admired his father.

The late president Milton Obote is known to brag about the fact that he liberated and eventually ruled Uganda on two separate occasions, in 1962 when he was handed the instruments of power from the British colonialists and 1980 when his UPC party controversially won the elections.

During his reign, Obote is credited to have built over 24 hospitals across the country including Mulago hospital.  Obote also built quite a number of schools and expanded the infrastructure that has served the country since independence.

His social programs have since been regarded as the best in the history of this country by many of his followers.

But while he excelled in the area of service delivery, there is a unanimous view that he miserably failed to protect the lives and property of Ugandans, as mandated by the constitution.

And it’s his failure to tame the army that has left a very big dent on the Obote brand.

The Obote Brand versus Museveni Brand

Therefore Jimmy Akena, will have to do a lot of talking, cajoling and persuading to change the political tide in a Uganda that has embraced the NRM regime that has constructed its mandate basing on the principle of protecting the lives and property of Ugandans.

Although the NRM is failing to command respect in regard to the issues of service delivery and chronic corruption that has led to los of a lot of taxpayers’ money, it still enjoys the benefits and the powerful Museveni brand. 

The NRM party leader, President Yoweri Museveni enjoys the support of the masses that were victims and openly persecuted by Obote’s government.

In most parts of the central region, there are millions of Ugandans who suffered a systematic witch hunt during the second spell of the UPC government.

Former security minister of that time in the early 1980s, Chris Rwakasis is known to have hunted down people that were regarded as Rwandese from parts of Ankole and the Luwero triangle.

And these Rwandese-Ugandans had no choice but to join Yoweri Museveni’s National resistance army that had declared war in 1981 and eventually triumphed to victory in January 1986.

Today these Ugandans of Rwandese descent form the core of the NRM support across the country. They also form the core of the security agencies in the NRM government.

It’s therefore interesting to see how they will react to Hon Jimmy Akena when he goes vote hunting in parts of central and western Uganda.

Without guessing so much, one can predict a very hostile reception for Jimmy Akena in these areas.

The Obote Generosity

Although President Milton Obote is said to have mentored, groomed and educated so many Ugandans like bank of Uganda governor Tumusime Mutebile, current Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda and many others across the country, it’s unlikely that they will help Jimmy Akena’s political cause.

In any case, a lot of water has passed under the bridge to resurrect the good old political memories in the favor of UPC.

One can therefore safely predict that Jimmy Akena’s presidential bid is certainly not expected to have an impact on the Ugandan political scene. The UPC Party is widely regarded as dead as Kenya’s KANU which collapsed with its original founder members.

You can perhaps say that Akena’s political ambitions would probably have been served better if he had joined a new political force with fresh ideas.

The Muhoozi Project

But although Akena’s bid is not politically marketable in the current settings, it’s serving a different political purpose; of reinvigorating the justification of the Muhoozi project.

The Muhoozi project is a widely-rumored scheme that intends to market president Museveni’s son Brigadier Kainerugaba Muhoozi to take over the presidency from his father when he retires.

It gained momentum about four years ago (immediately after the 2011 elections )when some senior members of the NRM insisted that the Ugandan president who has been in power for the last 29 years plans to hand over power to his son, Brigadier Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

Famous Australian journalist Julian Asanje ‘s wiki leaks quoted  Hon Mike Mukula to have told the American ambassador to Uganda that president Museveni was preparing his son to takeover form him.   

With president Museveni looking determined to run again in 2016, the talk about the Muhoozi project has died down. But there are obvious signs that it will constitute a very big talking point immediately after the 2016 elections.

The Current Dynamics

 If president Museveni wins the 2016 elections, he will not be eligible to stand in the 2021 elections because of the age limit that bars Ugandans above 75 years from contesting.

And this will spark the debate about president Museveni’s successor.

And the recent developments have favored Brig Muhoozi to be the man in the middle of the storm.

The twist of it is that the jimmy Akena presidential bid will certainly make it very difficult to argue against the justification of Muhoozi’s presidential bid.

Enter Gen Amin

Interestingly, another set of sons of another former Ugandan leader, Gen Idi Amin are also warming up to take part in the electoral process by contesting as members of parliament.

The most vocal of Gen Amin’s children is Hussein Lumumba Juruga Amin who seeks to contest for a parliamentary seat in his homeland of Arua.

 Hussein Lumumba is full of political philosophies and will certainly have an interesting impact on the 2016 electoral campaigns.

Once all these former children of the former Ugandan presidents dominate the political scene of the 2016 elections, then there will be no stopping the Muhoozi bid in 2021.

We shall then have a scenario similar to Togo where Faure Eyadema comfortably succeeded his father Gnasingbe Eyadema , like in Gabon where Ben bongo easily succeeded his late father Omar Bongo or like the case in Dr Congo where josephs Kabila took over when his father Laurent Kabila was assassinated.

CONCLUSION

Although the 2015 elections are not expected to be as explosive, the 2021 elections might be an affair between sons of former Ugandan presidents Apollo Milton Obote ( in form of jimmy Akena), Gen Idi Amin Dada ( in form of Hussein juruga ) and Yoweri Museveni in form of brigadier Muhoozi Kainerugaba ends .

The author Mr Fred Kamwada-Kamwada is senior journalist and political activist leaning to social Republican ideology’ you can interact with him on kamwadafred@yahoo.com

 

Professor Venansius Barymureeba’s Presidential Bid is Very Welcome But suffers from A lack Of a Sense of Perspective And Misplacement of Priorities

Professor Venansius Barymureeba’s Presidential Bid is Very Welcome But suffers from A lack Of a Sense of Perspective And Misplacement of Priorities

By Fred Daka Kamwada-Kamwada

Former Makerere vice chancellor Prof Venansius Baryamureeba recently announced his intentions to run for the Ugandan the presidency.

Given the apathy that Ugandan intellectuals have showed for elective politics-in the recent years-, the bold move by Prof Barya has been greeted with a welcoming spirit by some of us who believe diversity of ideas.

Given the current political terrain where most members of the opposition are either resigned or not physically fit due to health reasons, there is an obvious vacuum in the opposition that must be filled.

According to the recent developments, the biggest percentage of the opposition leaders has health issues to deal with.

 A quick sample of sick opposition leaders include DP president Norbert Mao who was honest enough to seek for medical leave, Hon Betty Kamya, Hon Bidandi Ssali, Hon Hussein Kyanjo (who is actually bedridden), Dr Kiiza Besigye (whose health condition was an issue of concern as far back as 2001), and others not mentioned here,.

  We therefore expected more Ugandans to fill the gap (on the alternative political side ) and provide alternative policies for this country due in part to the reason that a government without opposition is like a driver without a navigator.

And in that regard many of us warmly welcomed professor Baryamureeba’s presidential bid with the additional hope of seeing others join him because we expected him to add value to the political process.

 Ideology versus Emotions 

But having said all that,-, it’s almost a-given that anyone who wishes to run for the presidency must have ideas which are realistic, relevant to the current situation and relevant to the people of Uganda.

How realistic and relevant are professor Barya’s ideas?

Do they fit with the trends in the country or they are simply utopian dreams?

Without simply judging the professor, on mere assumptions I have been trying to find out what is contained in his manifesto, to make a value judgment on the sustainability of his presidential bid.

And I eventually got the chance to listen to him when he was hosted on NTV hot seat talk show on Thursday 28^th may 2015.

But it turned out that the host of the show Patrick Kamara looked as baffled as some of us (the viewers) with the way the professor was articulating the pertinent issues that affect this country.

You could obviously see that the former vice chancellor was struggling to get to grip with the priorities of this country.

For instance when asked how he would budget for the country, he said that he faults president Museveni for dedicating a lot of money into roads and energy! Phew!

“So where do you want to put that money” kamara asked him.

Getting Priorities Wrong

And the good professor answered that for him he thinks the critical pillars of the society are education, and health.

And he thinks he would withdraw some money from roads and energy and invest it in those two sectors because he believes that the human resource of a country determines everything.

Well, I managed to turn uncomfortably in my seat with the realization that Prof Barya was not conversant with the office he wants to takeover.

While he may be right about prioritizing the quality of the human resource, he also ought to know that there are other sectors which practically contribute to a very vibrant human resource.

Energy, for instance, is very crucial for a country because it has a direct contribution to education and health. You cannot have hospitals or schools without energy.

While drugs are a direct incentive for a healthy population, hospitals need energy to be effective in dealing with the treatment of the citizens.

And it was insensitive of him to denounce president Museveni’s decision to pump more money in the energy sector because he knows very well that the technology used by the scientists cannot be effective without power.

Without energy, the process of social transformation cannot succeed because energy is very central in the industrialization and practical social transformation of the country.

In other words, energy almost affects the entire system that contributes to the social transformation of a given society.

So any sensitive government needs to prioritize energy production so that issues like value addition and other processes of industrialization can take place.

Once you achieve optimal energy production, you can be assured on the other challenges like employment, service delivery etc.

And by the way , remember that professor Baryamureeba is a known expert on information technology but cannot comprehend that IT field is entirely dependent on energy.

Basic Infrastructure

 i was also practically amazed that Professor Baryamureeba also doesn’t see why president Museveni continues to prioritizes roads infrastructure.

So he believes that schools need the money more than roads!!! Oh dear me!. 

The good Professor should know that Uganda has got schools in every part of the country. What is required is to make these schools accessible with good tarmacked roads.

For instance, the professor should know that during the exams, some schools cannot do exams in time because of the poor road network.

When you have a poor road network, so many things cannot move. Famers cannot access the market.  Even democracy cannot be functional because the electoral commission cannot access and move the ballot papers across the country.

So downplaying the crucial role of the roads exposed professor Baryamureeba’s lack of perspective on the priorities of his country.

Software And Hardware

In a country like Uganda anyone aspiring to become president must be able to distinguish between the software and the hardware.

The construction of roads, railways and the building of power dams for production of energy are the hardware.

The software includes the generation of policies like the tax regime , regulation of the economy , fixing of the health and education sector and others.

In this case, when you elect professor Barya as president of Uganda, he will abandon the hardware and insist on the software aspect of the economy.

Yet in a realistic political setting both the hardware and software move hand in hand.

  

 In that regard its obvious that professor Baryamureeba and anyone else who wants to run for the Ugandan presidency must have a sense of perspective on the challenges affecting this country. But most important of all, he needs t have his priorities right.

Conclusion

 Although I have dwelt with just a small aspect of what challenges should be tackled , the small interaction ( on Tv)  with professor Bayramuureba has simply put him in light-weight category of presidential contenders.

Ugandans expect to raise the bar in regard to generating solutions for challenges affecting this country.

I rest my case with  the hope that professor readjusts and makes himself relevant , and realistic in his next engagements with the media.

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Fred Daka Kamwada Kamwada is a journalist and political commentator and can be reached at kamwadafred@yahoo.com