By Mulengera Reporters
Former UPC stalwart Aggrey Awori, who defected and became ICT minister in President Museveni’s cabinet, has advised colleagues who still remain in opposition to stand their ground and resist falling into a trap similar to what befell him. This is what Awori, who became hated by voters and eventually lost his Busia MP seat and now lives in political oblivion, said in a newspaper interview: “If you are serious and a visionary, you have to say no. It’s better to stay and fight out of government than to join and be bound by collective responsibility.” Awori says even those opposition MPs who choose to be friendly and clandestinely work with Museveni, they can serve him better by remaining part of the opposition but keep making positive criticism of government policies without necessary being hostile to Museveni as a person. “It’s very difficult to join cabinet as opposition and change anything. You will either come out bleeding or weeping.” Awori says any opposition politician who joins Museveni with get “detoothed or short-changed.” He says even when you finally leave cabinet, “you can’t speak out because if you attempt you can be prosecuted for disclosing cabinet secrets.” Awori also says Museveni can make you minister and use the ISO networks to instigate resistance against you or even deny you access to the resources you require to work. Awori gives the example of Beti Kamya who he says was expected to weaken opposition in Kampala but in his estimation, she has miserably failed in that expectation. Awori advises Museveni, whose new cabinet reshuffle is being expected anytime, to bring in more youthful politicians in his cabinet to ensure half of the cabinet are popular youth leaders like Bobi Wine whom he says can make a good Minister of Education in Museveni’s cabinet. Awori seems clearly detached from reality because it’s apparently very unlikely that Mr. Wine can accept such a posting. Awori’s remarks are part of Andrew Mwenda’s latest Independent Magazine story which lists Anita Among, Beatrice Anywar & Abdul Katuntu as some of the opposition big shots headed for big things in the Museveni cabinet. The Independent says Museveni badly needs a leader of Katuntu’s profile. The news magazine also claims that as COSASE Chairman, Katuntu has been understaking assignments from the president along with his vice chairperson Anita Among of Bukedea.
