By Mulengera Reporters
Stung by relentless determination by Museveni’s Political Assistant Milly Babalanda Doka to carry on with establishing teams of Wealth Creation Ambassadors (designating three of them per village), a few CEC members gathered courage and met on Tuesday.
In a rare show of defiance, they produced a communique that many are now perceiving as an attempt to dare President Museveni like never before. The two page dossier is signed by Simon Peter Aleper (Karamoja), Sam Engola (Northern region vice chairman), Godfrey Nyakana (Kampala Vice Chairman), Dominic Mafwabi Gidudu (Elders League), Katto Gabriel (PWDs League), James Tweheyo (Workers League), Lydia Wanyoto (Women’s League) and Nassur Gaddafy (Youth League).
In their communique, the CEC bosses argued that whereas it’s okay for the chairman to mobilize for the party in his own way, CEC has an obligation to intervene especially on seeing that some of the cadres ONC has been recruiting have lately been using media to character-assassinate the party’s national leaders.
It’s exclusion from this CEC meeting that caused EC Chairman Tanga Odoi to spit the much-publicized fire on Tuesday targeting his anger at the SG Lumumba whom he accused of manipulating CEC members to fight personal wars. In support of Tanga, some critics have wondered why pro-Lumumba CEC members had to meet and pronounce themselves on such a very sensitive matter without seeking the indulgence of Museveni as party chairman.
Some have likened it to attempting to blackmail Museveni anticipating his generous attention in return. Some have questioned why other CEC members weren’t part of this communique and they are depending on this to accuse the pro-SG CEC group of fermenting divisions and intrigue in the party, the very things they accuse some of the Kyambogo office recruits of.
In their communique, the CEC members reflected on the importance of their organ being the topmost level of authority in NRM. They also re-iterated that the establishment of three member structures per village was never discussed at Chobe or in any other CEC or other party organ meeting. But this is something Museveni has abundantly clarified. It was merely courteously mentioned as part of his communication from the chair and it wasn’t meant to be part of CEC’s seven strategic resolutions.
There is also suspicion the fight could be about the colossal sums of money, Museveni will be releasing for his 2021 campaigns through the Kyambogo office because he is understood to be so far pleased with the frugality of the officials running it. He is said to be confident those guys are frugal and won’t be out to misappropriate the billions entrusted to them to facilitate campaign activities. The same frugality and prudence was manifested during the anti-JPAM operations in 2015-2016 when Babalanda’s predecessor Molly Kamukama manned the ONC those days located at Mbuya.
In doing things that way, Museveni might have his very genuine reasons but it’s something that hurts and alienates many in the official party structures who always look at general electioneering period as the perfect time to also access some perks since it’s the time when Museveni assumes Father Christmas-like traits and open the taps generously drowning his trusted protégés in colossal sums of money. What many are asking is whether CEC members, justified as they maybe in asking the tough questions, will have the guts to go full length before being cowed into silence out of fear for the national party chairman. (For comments, email us at mulengera2040@gmail.com).
