By Otim Nape
All indicators are that President Museveni is in the mood to effect changes in his government line-up. Knowledgeable State House sources say the knifing of Gen Kayihura & Gen Tumukunde- and most recently the rolling of heads at Immigration-could have been mere curtain-raising for more profound changes expected in Cabinet as well. The changes are expected soon. Our sources show that whereas the likes of Anita Among, Hamison Obua & Beatrice Anywar are headed for big things in as far as joining cabinet is concerned, chances are high that the likes of Beti Kamya and Nakiwala Kiyingi-as well as Rugunda-are most likely on their way out of cabinet. Sources say Museveni is dismayed that Nakiwala hasn’t been as effective a mobilizer as he thought. She has no constituency and hasn’t been very outspoken on topical issues like the lifting of age limits.
She has also had a turbulent time at the Gender Ministry given her frosty relationship with powerful PS Pius Bigirimana and her boss Minister Janet Balunzi Mukwaya whose family played big historical role in Museveni’s coming to power. There are fears that Kamya could be dropped because the political belligerence with which she has approached the Erias Lukwago issue in Kampala might cost Museveni more votes in the Greater Kampala area than was the case with Jennifer Musisi’s alleged brutality in 2016.
Kamya also promised Museveni how she knew opposition secrets and put in a budget which Museveni funded after she promised to uproot Kizza Besigye and Erias Lukwago political structures in Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono but today almost a year later, Kamya would struggle to demonstrate the extent to which she has gone fulfilling her pledge. Museveni availed her funding by creating a vote for billions for her docket and this money was meant to do simply political mobilization and propaganda to wipe Besigye and Lukwago visibility on social media. Museveni believes that despite being outspoken, Kamya who twice was badly rejected by the people of Rubaga hasn’t delivered to his original expectation. David Bahati, who deputizes Matia Kasaija at the finance Ministry, too may not survive because the big man is understood to have lately discovered that the deeply spiritual man from Kabale is after all not as infallible as he thought on matters regarding money. Rugunda could lose his slot to GCW Ruth Nankabirwa who Museveni wants to appreciate for the effective mobilization that delivered the Magyezi Bill into law. Rugunda, who quit elective politics in 1996 and as such has no constituency, is considered easily disposable now that there is no more new Mbabazi threat to be politically neutralized in Kigezi sub region. There is also a one Mubiru who works in UMA and Nytil/Picfare who Museveni has been sweet-talking through a group of emminent manufacturers like Amos Nzeyi, Wavamunno & others. Mubiru, who is also a born again preacher, has still been reluctant and in case he totally refuses Museveni could consider either Amos Lugoloobi or MP Henry Musasizi to replace David Bahati at the Finance Ministry whose Matia Kasaijja might also not survive in that docket for that long. Refugee Affairs’ Hillary Onek is also understood to be unlikely to survive partly because of his poor PR and acrimonious relationship with technocrats at OPM including the most senior ones whom he barks at like children.
Reliable sources say FDC defector Beatrice Anywar, whose Gikwateko vote has to be reciprocated, is the person Museveni has identified as suitable to represent the greater original Kitgum on the table of sharing the Museveni political bread along with Henry Okello Oryem. Onek has also politically been diminished by his failure to rebuke the UNHCR officials off the refugee registration function which Museveni can’t allow to be surrendered to foreigners because to him that amounts to giving up Uganda’s sovereignty.
Museveni recently summoned Rugunda and raised his concerns regarding the dangers likely to result from UNHCR being permitted to hijjack refugee registration hiding under the guise of refugee verification. As Onek indifferently looks on, the UNHCR teams have already exceeded verification by for example registering new arrivals and new born babies while carrying out what they call refugee verification. Indeed on Museveni’s prompting security agencies like ISO and CMI have since deployed many undercover operatives to surveil on the refugee verification to ensure the country’s interests, which Onek doesn’t seem too vigilant to adequately protect, are well taken care of. In contrast, Anywar has lately been very outspoken against UNHCR’s bullying tactics including last week when she drove to Parliament to declare war on top UNHCR officials in Lamwo whom she said were using their positions and money to sexually molest and abuse poor young girls including sodomizing them. Despite being the line minister, Onek who also faces resistance from Lamwo Paramount Chief & cultural over land, has remained silent and instead prefers to erupt on matters that are totally not core to his docket.
At the Health Ministry, Jane Ruth Aceng might be relegated on grounds of frail health (her both knees were recently operated) and failure to grow any political appetite to run for MP Seat in Oyam where she hails from. Her junior Joyce Morichu Kaducu too is vulnerable as the big man is understood to have been greatly irritated with the front page news story Daily Monitor ran recently as part of her interview with them in which she claimed she had been poisoned resulting into her being indisposed for months. She might have made her statements inadvertently but the President found it alarmist and felt its something the opposition could jump on to perpetrate the very disturbing poisoning propaganda.
Amison Obua, who willingly mobilized many colleagues to vote for the Magyezi bill, will be eating on behalf of Alebtong which has been in the cold since the departure of Rebecca Otengo. If not Paul Amoru, whose thanks giving ceremony Museveni attended last week, could as well eat in the unlikely event that Obua is left out. Obua’s best friend Peter Ogwang (Usuk County Bull) is another cadre that is considered to be adequately prepared for the Ministerial job thought the big man is equally looking at Katakwi woman MP the beautiful Violet Okurut Adome who defeated Minister Jessica Alupo. Museveni is said to be acting cautiously on Ogwang because he recently got fillers that his relationship with Speaker Rebecca Kadaga in the Parliamentary Commission hasn’t been very good yet Kadaga, renowned for her vindictiveness, chairs the appointments committee of Parliament some of whose members, acting as proxies, have been preparing to object to his nomination should that ever happen on false grounds that his academic qualifications aren’t very impeccable.
RETURNING KALIISA KABAGAMBE;
Museveni is also said to be considering bringing back Eng Kabagambe Kaliisa (aka the Lord/Omujjwarakoondo) and elevate him to a ministerial position. This could mean either replacing Irene Muloni or initially deputizing her as one of the State Ministers at Energy. In case Kaliisa, who is already doing well in private business, declines Museveni is said to be looking at former minister Daudi Migereko bouncing back for a role in the Energy sector. There is also Jinja East MP Moses Balyeku whose chances are said to finally be very high.
BALYEKU’S TURN;
Balyeku is wealthy, popular and good mobilizer whose only problem would have been intrigue which he has demonstrably overcome by whole heartedly backing Igeme Nabeta in the just ended by-election. In fact pundits say Igeme would have scored much less if it wasn’t for Balyeku’s selfless contribution which saw him use personal money to campaign for Igeme. The fact that current PSS Molly Kamukama is someone he (Balyeku) gets on along well with only fortifies and increase Balyeku’s chances.
At the Presidency ministry Ester Mbayo may not survive because the H/E is disappointed the Luuka woman MP has used the office to fight personal wars with fellow ministers including making life hard for those who insist on the President owning and reading their prepared speeches at their respective ministries/MDAs’ public functions. There have also been issues regarding the issue of appointing and redeploying RDCs. Mbayo is understood to have conducted business in way that indicated existence of beef with her predecessor Frank Tumwebaze many of whose office recruits were sidelined the moment Mbayo took charge of the situation. Its also said by State House sources that Kayunga woman MP Aidah Nantaba will need divine intervention to keep her seat as the big boss from Rwakitura is said to have been intrigued with the fact that she absented herself and never voted for the Magyezi motion as she was nowhere to be seen in plenary that day. Its also suspected that to create a wedge between the 27 NRM MPs who voted against the Magyezi motion, Museveni could appoint some of them to cabinet to throw the group in disarray.
Those that will potentially be considered from this group include Theodore Sekikubo, Otuke’s Sylivia Okello or even Richard Gafabusa the independent-minded Bwamba MP in Bundibugyo. For flooring stubborn FDC man Geoffrey Ekanya, Tororo County MP Annet Okwenye is also expected to eat big most likely replacing Nantaba in the ICT docket as the State Minister. To be continued! For comments, call/text/WhatsApp us on 0703164755!
