By Our Reporters
Hussein Kyanjo and founding President Kibirige Mayanja admitted existence of misunderstandings within the current leadership of the Justice Forum Party (JEEMA). At the center of it all are Youth League members who accuse Secretary General Mohammed Kateregga of obscurantism, selfishness and dictatorial tendencies. “We have had some issues but we sat down with them [Kateregga’s accusers] and we resolved them,” Kibirige said in a phone interview with this news website. He admitted being aware of most of the issues and grievances members have against SG except those relating to his social life. JEEMA insiders said that some of the supporters (who previously surrendered their daughters to the party for internship at its headquarters in Mengo) have lately been regretting after their daughters getting impregnated and subsequently married off by JEEMA bosses. “It’s something Imam Kasozi as a founder member has been very concerned about. The SG as head of secretariat has had to be tasked to explain why all this creeping indiscipline and recklessness in the party,” said an insider. That recently the matter was to be discussed but was postponed after the SG, who oversees the running of the party secretariat, suddenly felt unwell and travelled to Bukomansimbi (where he is LC5 Chairman) for burial. To deepen our understanding of the sex allegations we rang Imam Kasozi, a celebrated moralist, who said he wasn’t comfortable discussing such sensitive matters in the press. Kyanjo, another JEEMA elder, was characteristically open-minded when reached for a comment. He said he was aware of the issues members are raising against the SG and admitted a lot of them are genuine grievances. “I’m aware of their issues because they have been brought to my attention a couple of times before but I have been away from Kampala and therefore don’t know the latest,” Kyanjo said in his usual truthfulness. “They have genuine reasons [to be displeasured] and what I see as the biggest problem is that communication channels between them and the SG broke down long time ago. We have been encouraging them [aggrieved members] to meet regularly with the SG to deescalate those issues.” Efforts to reach SG Kateregga for his side of the story were unsuccessful as our calls to his known cell phone went unanswered.
MEMBERS’ GRIEVANCES;
We have analyzed loads of leaked internal memos and private whatsapp chats which clearly show why members have rejected SG. Firstly they claim he wants to succeed Asuman Basalirwa as Party President and resents anyone with potential to stand in his way. “Having been an errands boy for the Kibiriges as they founded JEEMA, Kateregga feels entitled to become party president more than any other member,” says an insider. Sources referred to Omar Kalinge Nyago who ceased being Party deputy SG and resorted to operating on the periphery because of differences with SG. “Kalinge became so disgruntled in the pre-2016 delegates’ conference at Tal Cottages and protested by backing Mabirizi as opposed to JPAM who the party officially backed. At that time he was Deputy SG under Kyanjo and his supporters knew he was headed for either SG or Presidency which never happened.” In the end, Kalinge managed his frustrations by ceasing to be DSG and backing Mabirizi whose campaign taskforce he headed. “He felt the sudden requirement to pay Shs500,000 to run for Party Presidency was prohibitive and aimed at curtailing him. The requirement was announced at 5pm on the eve of elections,” said a source adding that Kalinge peripherally participated in Bugiri campaigns because he was doing research in the same region. That Kalinge’s supporters despised Kateregga for the slot of SG because he is less prolific and less eloquent compared to highly intellectual Kalinge. “He deputized Kyanjo as SG but because Hussein was too busy and away most of the time, Kalinge ended up doing most of the work and the natural thing was to make him SG but Kateregga stood in his way,” says a knowledgeable insider. “The party considered Kateregga because they thought being an elected leader in Bukomansimbi, he would give the office more clout but he has turned out to be too vindictive.” But Mayanja downplayed claims that Kalinge wasn’t treated fairly. “That is totally untrue because he remains our member except that he has been abroad for a while now. That’s why he isn’t visible in JEEMA activities but on the social media he is doing a lot ever communicating positive things about JEEMA and defending it against detractors,” said Mayanja who JEEMA members greatly revere for his founding role. “We elect leaders every 5 years and Kalinge was just unfortunate he wasn’t reelected to the office of SG. I was president and I ceased to be. So Kalinge isn’t the first to lose a position in JEEMA. But gratefully he left in good faith with no grudges. He has been explaining our participation in the IPOD Summit which shows he isn’t disgruntled.” Mayanja denied accusations that he and others (like Imam Sentongo & Hajji Bisegerwa) are grooming Kateregga to become Party President. “I’m not the one who grooms leaders in JEEMA. They emerge on their own and that is what will happen when Hon Asuman Basalirwa’s tenure comes to an end.”
THE IPOD CHAOS;
Days to the IPOD Summit, Youth League chairman Kennedy Muhindi opened a Pandora Box. He wrote a long missive accusing SG of selfishly cancelling the list of the 7 delegates representing the YL. He argued that whereas the list had been approved in a meeting attended by Mayanja, Kateregga has dropped four to be replaced with his cronies. Chaos ensued and Basalirwa, who is always away busy with Parliamentary work, had to drive to Mengo to chair a crisis meeting. Kateregga backed off. Muhindi’s outbursts ignited debate with some members claiming JEEMA had degenerated into a party of Baganda Muslims. One said even DP (claimed to be Catholic) bothered attracting Muslims like Muwanga Kivumbi, Erias Lukwago and others. Youths claimed SG had turned JEEMA into an NGO where he doesn’t respect views of others. A one Collins accused SG of using JEEMA to maintain his expensive lifestyle. He wondered why JEEMA was becoming a Kampala party. At some point in the whatsapp debate, Muhindi contemptuously referred to Kateregga as “mere SG.” It emerged many members have quit JEEMA because of SG’s draconian policies and a one Beckie was given as an example. The youth even threatened action beyond just words because “that’s the language the SG will understand.” A one Nsubuga was told off for defending SG who the youths said was a disgrace to JEEMA. One cynically stated: “JEEMA is based on religion. Stop it people let’s get Jeema out of Kampala and think ahead.” Some like finance secretary Asmat Nabalamba (renowned for being very close to SG) faulted Spokesperson Abdunoor Kyamundu Sentongo for using strong language to express his resentment against the SG and thereby showing bad example to younger JEEMA members who are inspired by his outspokenness. Some called for an induction workshop for party leaders to make Kateregga a better SG. One member furiously wrote: “a single individual turns himself into a party and we are doomed because nobody seems to care.” To hit the SG more, some quoted Bobi Wine’s famous lyrics thus: “When leaders become misleaders and mentors become tormentors, opposition becomes our position.” Some SG backers said poverty was disturbing his critics and the “minor fight” was about inclusion on the IPOD list where each delegate was entitled to sleeping in Speke Resort Munyonyo and Shs0.5m in allowances. Responding to an SG supporter, Kyamundu roared: “The impunity we talk about. How do you do IPOD work when we have our representatives there? Institutions must be respected and given a chance to work. That mbu you even reorganized the list and then blame people speaking against such impunity? May God save the Queen?” Another complained of JEEMA’s invisibility in his region thus: “Members some of us from the Eastern we just wait for the delegates’ conference after we again await after five years.” YL boss Muhindi returned with: “I decided to be quiet because when I speak they say I’m immoral. The wok that was done by a trusted committee under stewardship of Hon Mayanja was watered down and someone reorganizes the list and that’s the best and submitted list?” Another questioned: “Our leaders [why is it that] whatever opportunity that comes up Buganda is always the priority? But it’s okay.” Another proposed “grass root is the solution guys” and was instantly reminded “we can’t consider grass roots when we just base in one region whatever comes.” Yet that wasn’t all. Another (ending with793) chipped in: “I’m the chairman JEEMA in the district but I wonder how the party is moving.” Some were bitter with inactivity in JEEMA and faulted SG for waiting for election time. Another (ending with 444) wrote: “Kampala JEEMA is making me think something else. This party is no longer party for people with interest of changing Uganda. JEEMA has lost value. JEEMA is tribalistic. JEEMA is just for Baganda and Muslims only. I have seen this many times. People call themselves anywhere to talk party issues…This is why I tell people JEEMA will be turned into a laughing stock.” An official ending with 599 came in defending SG and thanking him for delegating work and this the response he got from one furious member: “A Muganda will remain the same. Shame on those who are behind you.” A member from Kiryandongo saluted “brother Tiff or Hon Kyamundu” for keeping JEEMA visible. One contributor insinuated some people are spies planted to disorganize JEEMA. Another (ending with 444) shut him up thus: “When JEEMA was formed you were not yet out of your mother’s womb but I was there.”
KYAMUNDU EXPLODES;
In a separate memo, Kyamundu Sentongo directly went for SG Kateregga accusing him of dictatorship, intrigue and plotting to expel assertive members. He said Kateregga (whom he says has limited understanding of how parties run) wants to expel him and Youth League chairman Kennedy Muhindi. That whereas the party constitution makes SG the spokesman, Kateregga is so inept for such a complex task. That for 3 years he has been SG, the wealthy man from Bukomansimbi has never produced a single press release. Kyamundu says this created a vacuum and kept JEEMA invisible until he stepped forward and created visibility for the party. He accuses SG of undermining Party President Asuman Basalirwa including mobilizing against his victory party at One Love Beach Busabala. Renowned for his outspokenness, Kyamundu says SG even tried to block the Basalirwa celebrations but he and others neutralized his sabotage. He says Kateregga (who previously tried to expel him) has a sense of entitlement because he was a founding member of JEEMA. That because of that SG despises Basalirwa who joined the party much later on. He accuses Kateregga of many other things including greed for materialism which he says escalated recently when JEEMA was readmitted to the IPOD following Basalirwa’s Bugiri election. He says many members have quit JEEMA or become inactive in party activities because of the SG’s dictatorial tendencies. Kyamundu’s missive escalated hostility against Kateregga with members saying they didn’t know how entrenched his intrigue had become. They thank Kyamundu for his revelations. One member (ending with 239), upon reflecting on Kyamundu’s revelations, suggested an urgent party retreat before the situation explodes. Ironically that retreat has to be organized by SG whose leadership credentials members don’t acknowledge. Mayanja responded to Kyamundu’s missive by focusing members on the dangers of speaking in a wrong forum. He gave his views calling for calm on 2nd December and directed SG Kateregga to organize a leaders’ retreat within 31 days. Some responded to Mayanja by saying 31 days is too far and in any case it doesn’t have to be after a retreat for the SG to conduct business in a manner that complies with laid down procedures. Some want JEEMA Constitution reviewed for being outdated. Kibirige talked about a previous cabinet meeting where these matters were discussed but members responded to him by saying the SG maliciously didn’t invite them to the said cabinet meeting. They also protested the SG being the one to organize the retreat since he is the very person members intend to complain against. They maintained that Mayanja uses his credentials as JEEMA founding president who mentored Kateregga to ensure “the SG’s intrigue, divide & rule policies, immoral conduct and incompetence are decisively addressed for the good of JEEMA.”
