Having received well corroborated intelligence reports that the sugar bill legislation was largely influenced by bribery by keenly interested sugar manufacturing giants, President Museveni recently summoned some of the elected leaders from Busoga sub region.
He questioned them about reports that they had accepted gratifications from rival sugar giants and were now fermenting confusion and playing hide and seek. Some had claimed the money was being taken to the NRM party to finance political mobilization against Besigye and Bobi Wine which turned out untrue.
Unknown to the impugned elected leaders, some of these sugar investors are long term Museveni acquaintances who eventually shared with him their dilemma on realizing the elected leaders were eating from both camps which amounted to totally betraying their electors.
During the meeting, Museveni produced well prepared evidence implicating some of the elected leaders. The evidence was to the effect that two female MPs from the sub region parked at a petrol station near Musita Township and rang other elected leaders (one by one) to each come and pick Shs1m for their weekend. On that same day, each of the targeted legislators was given a goat and slaughtered beef to go and give to their constituents. Another male elected leader picked Shs300m some of which went into purchasing a public service van for his electors but unfortunately the ill-fated van malfunctioned the very day it was being commissioned.
As that the Musita cash distribution was happening, another group of targeted influential LC5 Chairpersons, LC3 chiefs and elected councilors converged at a home of a district chairman and were each given Shs0.5m to influence their views on the sugar bill even if this meant was acting contrary to the interests of their own electors. As the meeting dispersed, the big man told the elected leaders “you can now see we have everything regarding what you did in the dark.” He castigated them saying “mweno banange mwalya sente z’ekibi [my dear friends just know you ate evil money].”
And consequently the political foes eyeing seats of the implicated leaders have intensified vote canvassing in preparation to oust them for the NRM ticket in 2021. What is even more intriguing, some of the ring leaders would (as they picked large amounts of cash) claim they are taking it for some big officials in the ruling party whereas not. Some are now being told not to feel jittery should the big man begin sidelining them while politically showing preference for their opponents. (For comments, email us at mulengera2040@gmail.com)
