State Finance Minister David Bahati (also Ndorwa West MP) has continued splashing money like never before. All indicators are that Bahati, who these days travels to his constituency very often, is apprehensive about the possibility of being floored by his former campaign manager Simpson Mpirirwe. In his late 40s, Mpirirwe has always been a kingmaker in Ndorwa politics to the extent that Caroline Kansiime became Rukiga District woman MP and Prosy Mbabazi became Rubanda Woman MP because of him. Bahati too was able to overcome Steven Bamwanga first time in 2006 largely because of the Mpirirwe magic. And riding on the fact that in this part of the world cases of leaders being upstaged by former campaign managers haven’t been uncommon, Mpirirwe now says the days of making others kings have come to an end. He now wants the throne, the crown himself. Bahati had been campaign manager for Bamwanga whom he ousted and even former Kabale woman MP Rona Ninsiima (2011-2016) was ousted by former chief campaigner Catherine Ndamira. So Mpirirwe supporters insist what their man will soon be doing to Bahati won’t amount to reinventing the will at all. It has happened before. There is also Dr. Rugaari who has equally been menacing Bahati for the Ndorwa West MP Seat on grounds that after 15 years of service both in Parliament and Cabinet, Bahati has eaten enough and should call it a day in 2021.
B’MES UNCLE MONEY
Bahati’s beautiful house in the village is causing many adversaries to weep in envy
Bahati has resorted to countering the threat by dangling money at people wherever he goes these days. His money hasn’t been restricted to Ndorwa West only but other parts of Greater Kabale. In a move some say is calculated at overwhelming his opponents into thinking he is such a colossus for them to even try, Bahati (who some see as a potential PM or Finance Minister in Museveni’s Uganda) has been on a spending spree. Just recently he spent over Shs100m in just one weekend.
At Technical Institute graduation ceremony (in Rubanda Town Council), as guest of honor Bahati offered Shs45m. And only a day before, he presided over Ndorwa East belated women’s day celebrations and donated the same amount for the women groups operating in the area which is represented by his former fellow rebel MP Wilfred Niwagaba. Away from these public engagements, Bahati spent the entire weekend splashing money to the different groups of Kigezi residents like there was no tomorrow. What many are asking is where could Bahati (who not very long ago used to choke on debts) be getting all this money he easily dangles at people from? Until he tells us himself, all we can all do is to speculate.
