By Otim Nape
Ramadan Goobi, an assistant to Gen Salim Saleh in the Opeeration Wealth Creation (OWC), has faulted President Yoweri Museveni saying the derogatory remarks he made while campaigning in Jinja are the reason why the NRM candidate Igeme Nabeta lost to Paul Mwiru of FDC. Goobi is actually the chief economist for Gen Saleh under OWC and he executes his duties besides being a lecturer at Makerere University Business School (Mubs) where he teaches economics. He is also a regular commentator on topical issues and publishes a weekly column in The Sunrise, a weekly newspaper based in Kampala. During the Saturday Capital Gang program, Goobi who was invited to give an insightful presentation on the rising fuel prices, was also prompted to comment on Jinja by-elections in which the NRM candidate was trounced with a vote difference of close to 1500 votes. “I think President Museveni didn’t help matters and I wonder what value his tour of the constituency added to his party candidate. The way he made his point on the quality of MPs he wanted people to send wasn’t helpful to his candidate. It only made things worse. If I was Igeme Nabeta, I would have taken him on right there and politely say ‘but sir I’m not that type that is going to parliament to sleep and be awakened to vote for the NRM positions.’ That was the only way the candidate would correct the wrong impression the President had created about his capabilities,” said Goobi who even his boss Saleh knows is a liberal-minded person who always speaks without fear for reprisals. Gobi’s utterances created an impression that the candidate could perhaps have done better if the President didn’t drive to Jinja and camped there for two days campaigning for him. Goobi was supported by another panelist Abdul Katuntu who angrily said: “It was really very insultive and many voters, including those from the NRM, started whispering saying ‘ha but this man [M7] doesn’t mean well for Busoga sub region.’ Many wondered whether he would make such a statement if it was a meeting in Western Uganda and people had gathered to discuss the quality of leaders their region must send to Parliament. It really didn’t augur well with the electorate and Ramadan Goobi is right. Do you think President Museveni would use the same statements to campaign for and market the NRM candidate if this by-election was in Western Uganda? It’s something that really angered many people and worked against candidate Igeme.” In what surprised many people, the President told the campaign rally to ignore opposition criticisms that Igeme wasn’t an outspoken MP and the H/E argued that he would still be more helpful than an outspoken Mwiru who is hostile to the NRM government. The H/E first made these remarks more than 10 years ago while campaigning for an NRM candidate and many were surprised he would repeat this phrase in this Hakuna Mchezo (no sleeping on the job) era which he declared himself. For comments, call/text/whatsapp us on 0703164755!
