By Mike Ssegawa
Sections of Ugandans were shocked over the weekend to learn about the erasing of former prime minister Ben Kiwanuka’s monumental home in Nalukolongo. However, this website understands that his son Mr Kagimu Kiwanuka, a former member of Parliament, ex minister for economic monitoring and Ambassador in Europe, saw it all coming for more than a year.
Mr Maurice Kagimu returned from his tour of duty as ambassador in 2015 to run for Bukomansimbi MP seat. It is a requirement that government employees first resign before they run for public office. However Kagimu’s bid fell flat and did not go through. But the election left him broke, and all his hopes were now put in President Museveni.
After the 2016 elections, Kagimu expected President Museveni to appoint him ambassador once again, however when the list was released, he was not among the appointments.
With no job and without a business to fall back to, our deep throat intimated to us that Mr Kagimu planned to start a micro finance business. However, it again boiled down to capital.
Like most politicians do when they fall on hard times, the former minister started looking for president Museveni to give him some money, but the brokers who were promising to land him the appointment, squeezed the last pennies out of his accounts. He however never saw the president to pour out his heart and the people he paid to facilitate the meeting disappeared.
That’s when he got in touch with a businessman who hails from Masaka. This website understands Kagimu and the businessman know each other as they both hail from Bukomasimbi in greater Masaka.
Kagimu told the businessman about his plans and was willing to dispose off a couple of properties in Kampala to raise enough cash to start micro finance nce business.
One of the plots is now the famous one in Nalukolongo, Block 17 plot 66 measuring 2.3 acres on which the home of the former prime minister and attorney General, Ben Kiwanuka stood.
The plot was currently occupied by mechanics who were operating garages on plot.
For over a year, Kagimu who had promised to relocate the squatters on the land, didn’t meet his end of the bargain until the businessman engaged and facilitated their relocation.
Last week, the businessman took his men to clear the land for development and unfortunately the monumental home of Ben Kiwanuka wasn’t part of his plans. It was erased too. The grave of Maxenxia Zalwango however is still intact and not dug as alleged, and in the words of Ben Kiwanuka’s daughter, Regina, the remains will be relocated to Masaka.
Whereas DP stalwarts are up in arms over the property, Kagimu isn’t giving a damn as even the money he sold from the property is no where to be found. He blew away the sh2 billion and the money lending business never took off.
This website also understands that Kagimu’s home is also among the properties he has sold, although the owner has not yet come for it.
Unless Mr Museveni refinances Mr Kagimu, or reappoints him, the son of the historical statesman, will be among the paupers in the next couple of months.
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