By Our Reporters
Gen Mugisha Muntu finally on Wednesday unveiled the team with whom he will be leading his Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) party. And the team significantly comprises of colleagues he previously served with in FDC before quitting to found his own political organization. Remarkably, it also has some actors with strong links to NRM example being national youth league coordinator Abubaker Matanda whose father Kato Matanda is one of the most influential RDCs in Museveni’s Uganda.
A diehard Musevenist since the 1980s, Kato Matanda currently serves as the Dean of RDCs which is like being the chief Resident District Commissioner. Abubaker, a brilliant and high commitment young man in his own right, has previously served as President UNSA which unites Ugandan students. Renowned for often differing with his father, Abubaker Matanda was also active in JPAM’s Go Forward politics before falling back in line. He then went silent prompting people to conclude he had been rehabilitated and went back to NRM.
He is also a lawyer from IUIU and LDC. He is also fascinated by intellectualism and despises mediocrity both in word and deed. At IUIU, Abubaker Matanda was the guild president, a platform he used to gun for the position of UNSA President and as UNSA President, Matanda gave Museveni hard time and even tried to circumvent him by making JPAM the alternative UNSA Patron. JPAM was one Sunday morning invited to be chief runner in the UNSA marathon, something that scared and blackmailed Museveni to call Matanda-led UNSA executive to have some peace talks and subsequently the group deescalated their public support for JPAM before eventually descending into total oblivion.
But Matanda’s well-deserved posting could create instant cracks in the ANT youth league Muntu will be seeking to grow into a vibrant organization. There are youth leaders like Ismail Kasule, Zelda Kakayi and Idi Ouma who have risked a lot to openly embrace Gen Muntu at the cost of losing their NEC and national youth league positions in FDC. It was widely expected one of them would automatically become the pioneer leader of the ANT youth league which hasn’t happened. It’s understood that Alice Alaso, renowned for being very pushy when it comes to putting her preferred cadres into positions, knows much about the trio’s good and bad side and felt more comfortable having Matanda in that position than them. It’s too early to reach conclusions but it won’t be surprising if turmoil ferments because of this curious alienation of more battle-hardened youths in favor of Abubaker Matanda who critics fault for being elusive sometimes and being too much of a perfectionist to tolerate much of the mediocrity that characterizes youth politics. Matanda is also a strict disciplinarian who won’t hesitate publicly cracking the whip on those who breach decorum.
FROM FDC
In this article we also reflect on why many former FDCs found working with Muntu’s ANT more comforting than Besigye’s Defiance-stricken Najjanankumbi party. David Bala Bwiruka is formerly a guild president for Makerere where he lost significant support midway his term as students protested his curious closeness to the police leadership then under Gen Kale Kayihura who would publicly praise him for being a pragmatic leader. Bwiruka initially belonged to a political party whose members denied him their ticket on allegations of being a 5th columnist. He stood independent and won the seat because students saw him as someone who had participated in many riots causing himself friction with Prof Ddumba-led administration. He resided in UH where he frequently hosted many female campus friends. Time will tell for how long he will loyally serve as Secretary Education Affairs in Muntu’s ANT before accusations of being a double-faced 5th columnist crop up.
Nyanja Musoke, who is to deputize Gen Muntu as National Coordinator, teaches development studies at Makerere Law School. His classes are always characterized by anti-government rhetoric and students like him for being generous with marks. He teaches just in first year for one Semester. Renowned for his endless jokes and kindness, Nyanja Musoke also lucratively runs the DSTV agency business and runs a company on Bombo road which specializes in installation of new DSTV dishes. He has a strong Ganda family background too. But in politics, he isn’t known to have much history behind him and Muntu might have given him that position in order to increase the Ganda visibility in the ANT top leadership.
Sewava Serubiri will be ANT coordinator Buganda region. A former Kabaka Minister and close relative in the royal family, Sewava Serubiri is one of the people who immediately embraced Besigye in 2001. In fact he was fired from Kabaka’s government as a minister after Museveni mounted pressure protesting opposition being strongly represented in the Mengo cabinet then led by Mulwanyamuli. Other ministers fired for backing KB included Owek Robert Sebunya, Joyce Sebugwawo and Kamala Kanamwangi.
Sewava has since then been an FDC diehard who some have always despised for being money-minded. His clout diminished when he lost his BLB job and lowered himself by becoming the PA to Wakiso-based tycoon Emmanuel Matovu who is the former husband to Susan Nakawuki. Serubiri is also very talkative and has a good Buganda-wide network except that he suffers from the political fatigue that naturally results from big talking and opposing Museveni for too long. He is always in Rubaga Mayor Joyce Sebugwawo’s office along Kabaka Njagala Road. It’s widely expected his leadership in ANT could complicate his relationship with time ally Sebugwawo who rarely tolerates people she sees as stabbing FDC in the back.
Alice Alaso is defacto SG (technically designated as National coordinator Finance and Administration) and she was FDC founding SG for 10 years. Alaso is hard working, calm and intelligent but politically very ambitious. She became disgruntled in FDC initially after Besigye (with whom she had worked very well) made Nandala Mafabi LoP at a time she considered herself the most appropriate person for the job. It’s also true she suffered a lot of mistreatment when Nandala Mafabi became SG under Gen Muntu’s Presidency. Alaso is also a strict disciplinarian who never tolerates double-dealers. This explains why the likes of Beti Kamya found her extremely hard to work with in FDC.
Indeed Kamya recently contemptuously spoke about ANT saying with leaders like Alaso, the new party was dead on arrival. Alaso angered Kamya at the very first FDC DC when she uncompromisingly took the position of SG and delivered the Teso block vote to KB in 2006. Alaso is also wealthy having been MP for many times and has lately unleashed big monies leaving incumbent Serere woman Hellen Adoa sleepless and very frightened. The only shortcoming is those who know her closely say Alaso is stingy and very vindictive, something that could gradually demonize many who have come to ANT expecting to swim in cash and endless groceries. We couldn’t readily establish much about Martin Okumu who will be serving as National Coordinator for Research and Policy.
Christine Abia (currently a teacher in Arua where she was woman MP for 10 years) is another former FDC diehard and high performing legislator in both 8thand 9th parliaments. Abia, who at some point cultivated strange warm relationship with NRM heavyweights, is the national treasurer for ANT and wants to become the pioneer MP for Terego district which Museveni recently agreed to grant in cabinet in order to shield his man Obiga Kania from facing voters’ wrath in 2021. In fact Kania, who in 2016 badly floored Kassiano Wadri, had vowed not to seek reelection if the district isn’t granted. Abia became disgruntled in FDC when the position of PAC Chair she wanted was given to fellow West Niler Kassiano Wadri. The disgruntlement caused polarisis even in Arua resulting into her defeat in 2016. She never forgave the FDC camp that is loyal to KB as she was unhappy KB didn’t use his clout to silence her FDC critics in Arua. In the Arua by election last year, Abia reconciled with Wadri (with whom they had bickered for PAC position) and backed him against FDC’s Bruce Musema. Apparently Wadri (who excitedly attended the Serena ceremony) too is on his way to become a giant in ANT. That will be great for Muntu’s new party because Wadri (a former Deputy SG and Chief Whip for FDC) is still very much loved in Arua Municipality whose electors he can easily sway to look at ANT more favorably than they would have.
Ambassador Edith Ssempala, who led the JPAM 2016 almost to nowhere, will be heading the women league for ANT. She was originally a Musevenist but who fell out saying there was a lot of obscurantism in NRM. At the peak of her career, she served as Uganda’s ambassador to New York and Washington and had Museveni’s ear for long. During the Go Forward days, she appeared on talk shows and really bad mouthed Museveni but in the end her candidate performed so dismally. It’s understood ANT elections will be delayed a bit to buy time for Winnie Kiiza and others, who are still sheltering in FDC for the convenience of not losing their MP Seats, to defect properly and vie for positions at the party’s pioneer delegates conference.
Flamboyant city lawyer Wilberforce Seryazi is the spokesman for ANT and resented the Besigye camp in FDC when he stood for Entebbe MP Seat when Gen Muntu had just become Party president. Besigye, who had been bashed a lot by the DPs for being selfish and not wishing other parties well, acted with caution and avoided the Entebbe by election because DP’s Mohammed Kawuma (who by the way eventually went to NRM) seemed stronger and to be the one Entebbe residents favored because it’s his court petition that led to that by election.
The known strong Besigyeists like Semujju Nganda, Erias Lukwago, Betty Nambooze and others all descended on Entebbe and campaigned for Kawuma totally shunning Seryazi who only had the likes of Muntu and Nabillah Nagayi sticking to him. In the end, Seryazi performed so dismally and put all the blame on Besigye prompting the retired Colonel’s supporters to challenge him to grow his own political strength as opposed to blaming the veteran opposition leader who doesn’t own even a kiosk in Entebbe. Seryazi revenged by vigorously backing Gen Muntu during the subsequent flag bearer race in 2015 which Besigye won. In one of the flag bearer campaign meetings, the Ingrid Turinawes say Seryazi de-campaigned KB saying a more handsome person like Gen Muntu stood higher chance to defeat Museveni than KB whose appearance he said scares women voters. It’s hoped that Seryazi (who years back was very close to Winnie Byanyima just like Patrick Wakida) will now use the new platform as publicist to increase his visibility and likeability amongst Entebbe voters.
In the publicity position, Seryazi will be aided by city journalist and upcoming lawyer Suleiman Kakaire who previously was perceived to be sympathetic to FDC but couldn’t continue that way with his mentor Abdul Katuntu growing increasingly disgruntled with Najjanankumbi. He is the Katuntu anointed successor for Bugweri MP Seat where he faces wealthier Besigye diehard Julius Galisonga Kibandi.
Ex-Obote II Prime Otema Alimadi’s daughter (Barbara Alimadi) will lead the Diaspora Affairs docket in ANT and her brother Milton Alimadi runs a successful media enterprise in the US where he specializes on anti-propaganda. Barbara famously led a bra-less women protest at CPS Kampala that humiliated Kayihura-era police force for fondling Ingrid Turinawe’s breasts during a W2W protest in Nansana. She for some time participated in activism activities creating an impression she was a Besigyeist. She recently published a long narrative explaining why she chose ANT. She gave many reasons including belief that structures was the only way to overwhelm Gen Museveni. She also said having consulted opposition icons like KB, she was now convinced Muntu wasn’t a mole she thought he was. But knowledgeable sources say she kept her distance from FDC after becoming uncomfortable with the leadership style of Defiance Queen Ingrid Turinawe. She is eloquent, bold and not double-faced.
ANT’s eastern region coordinator Hannington Basakana is a former NRM diehard and Busoga LC5 Chairman. Its hoped he can galvanize Muntu’s support among the disgruntled NRM cadres in Busoga and elsewhere in the Eastern Region. The position he has currently taken on probation basis could in the end become Paul Mwiru’s who has flocked with Muntu for an eternity.
Phoebe Acan is the coordinator Northern region whereas Jackson Wabyona (a former FDC diehard) will be coordinator for Western region. He is being given this position to create an impression Banyoros are also visible in ANT’s national leadership. Wabyona is a schools proprietor in Bunyoro sub region and has his bases in Hoima. It was him, Patrick Baguma and Francis Atugonza that previously marketed FDC and gave Museveni hard time. Frustration of the NRM regime frustrating his businesses and running for political office unsuccessfully many times must have combined to make Wabyona very disillusioned with FDC hence the decision to try out ANT.
Florence Ibi is a former lower secondary school teacher at Kitende who in 2006 rode on Besigye’s key and wave to become woman MP for Kaberamaido. She served for 10 years and grew to the level of being parliamentary Commissioner all courtesy of the FDC party to which Alaso recruited her. After losing 2016 elections, Ibi stood for EALA as FDC candidate fronted by Gen Muntu but lost badly as MPs considered that she had eaten enough in the preceding years. In ANT she will be serving as the charge of Parliamentary Affairs who most likely will be the one to coordinate the eventual defection of Winnie Kiiza, Ogenga Latigo and others from FDC to ANT. It’s calculated that their defection will diminish FDC’s numerical strength and thereby shortening Betty Aol’s tenure as LoP for the remaining period leading up to 2021 elections.
Rebecca Kadaga’s long political rival in Kamuli, Prossy Naikoba will be charged with CSOs affairs and her fall out with FDC had a lot to do with Salaam Musumba. She became very bitter with the party when Salaam Musumba made up her mind at the last minute and was declared the FDC flag bearer for Kamuli Municipality MP Seat in 2016 which had previously been reserved for her. Naikoba, who has good connections among anti-Salaam NRM diehards in Busoga, has been FDC for so long and her contemporaries used to be the likes of Bukedea Woman MP Anita Among.
Capt Dan Mugarura, who suffered prison and had his businesses crippled by NRM for his support for KB’s Reform Agenda, will be heading Election Affairs in ANT. He comes from Ntungamo just like Muntu meaning it would be seen as betrayal if he shunned ANT. But more importantly, Mugarura got so uncomfortable when perceived Besigyeists like Nandala Mafabi opened war on him in the runner up to the delegates’ conference at which POA the villager floored Muntu. We have email exchanges in which FDC leaders were bashing Mugarura calling him a mole. But some claim his strong business relations with Gen Charles Bakahumura (former CMI boss) couldn’t allow him to continue being in a very strong anti-Museveni political organization like FDC. Eunice Okullo will lead Religious Affairs in ANT (whatever that means).
ANT will also be guided by a team of elders like Dan Wandera Ogalo, Dr Munini Munera and Yokas Bihande. All these belonged to FDC previously. Ogalo is a veteran city lawyer and is Gen Muntu’s personal friend having closely served together in EALA for 10 years. He is also very close to Alice Alaso the defacto ANT SG. He is from Bugiri and has always not been on very good terms with FDC diehards like Wafula Oguttu and Salaam Musumba whose unreserved support for Defiance has always discomforted him. Munini developed irreconcilable differences with the Besigyeists when his pro-JPAM articles caused him to be misunderstood during the days of TDA. Yokas Bihande became annoyed with FDC headquarters Najjanankumbi when a Besigye diehard supporter defeated him in party primaries in Kasese in 2016. He was shunned by electors because of the manner in which the IGG prosecution relating to CDF had dented him and made him ineligible to hold political office.
Notable attendees at Serena Conference Center where ANT was launched included MP Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu, Norbert Mao, Jimmy Akena, Ken Lukyamuzi, Winifred Kiiza and Prof Morris Ogenga Latigo, Arua Municipality MP Kassiano Wadri and Bugweri County MP Abdu Katuntu. A lighting bulb superimposed on a white, purple and orange background with the map of Uganda was unveiled as the new party’s symbol. (For comments, email us on mulengera2040@gmail.com).
