Rebecca Kadaga might seem not to be in good books with President Yoweri Museveni currently but projecting a clash in the Parliament Speaker race could be a miscalculation for anyone who follows Uganda’s politics keenly.
On many occasions, media has reported that Museveni’s relationship with his number three is at its weakest. It has further been publicized that Museveni and his National Resistance Movement (NRM) favour Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah to oust the incumbent.
But going by the president’s earlier comments on his seemingly rocky relationship with the Kamuli District Woman MP in December last year, Museveni might have already pronounced himself on the current Speakership impasse.
While speaking to Party leaders on his campaign trail in Kamuli on December 6, Museveni trashed claims he was fighting Kadaga and that there is a rift between the two principals.
“For me, I don’t believe in quarreling. What are we quarreling for when we are not working for ourselves but Uganda and Africa? Some people come in with their own aims. There are some opportunists who make money out of lies,”Museveni said.
“They come and say Museveni does not support Kadaga but me as Yoweri Museveni, if I don’t support you I tell you like I told Amin and Obote. If I am against you why do I go hiding here and there? This is an insult to say I don’t like someone and I am hiding.”
The remarks followed a comment by Bugabula South MP, Maurice Kibalya who had asked the President to continue intervening in the in fights between the party leaders in Busoga.
In response, Museveni conceded there was bickering that he said he had severally tried to settle by initiating round table talks between warring factions. He also insisted these fights were acts of opportunists.
The President said the self-seekers had equally accused him of fighting the Speaker of Parliament, Kadaga, who also is the Kamuli Woman MP but dismissed the allegation as being baseless.
“Whatever issue we have had with Kadaga, we have discussed and resolved it,” said Museveni, who is also the ruling party National Chairman.
Kadaga is currently being challenged majorly, by Deputy Speaker Oulanyah whose supporters have occasionally depicted him as a more loyal cadre to the President and the party than the incumbent.
Severally, pro-Oulanyah strategists have claimed that Museveni will not back Kadaga but rather the man from Omoro county due to his impeccable loyalty to the ruling establishment.
The remarks by Museveni however suggests he could find it hard to openly clash with Kadaga and hence letting the scores get settled at the ballot or else deploy Oulanyah somewhere else.
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