Former Presidential candidate John Patrick Amama Mbabazi was received amid a cocktail of excitement and fanfare as he arrived for President Yoweri Museveni’s swearing in ceremony at Kololo Independence grounds on Wednesday Morning.
Mbabazi, also former Prime Minister and NRM Secretary General arrived in the company of wife Jacqueline Mbabazi. The couple was treated to a pompous welcome by excited party diehards who seemed to suggest they had missed the party historical for too long.
Mbabazi, a former Museveni ally turned critic fell out with the ruling regime leading to his sacking from his double positions as SG and Premier. At the time, he was one of the longest serving Ministers after making it back at each and every reshuffle.
Apart from being the Prime Minister, Mbabazi had served as Health Minister, Foreign Affairs Minister, Defence, Security, Presidency, Justice and constitutional Affairs, Attorney General among others ministerial positions.
Following a bitter split with General Museveni in 2014, Mbabazi would go on to challenge for the presidency before getting badly humiliated at the February 2016 general elections.
He has however made peace with his former confidant and a return to government has since been on the cards. Speaking to Kampala Division Councillors late last year, Mbabazi disclosed that he and Gen. Museveni had resolved their differences and didn’t rule out working with the establishment once again.
At Kololo, Mbabazi was treated like a real legend, reigniting talk on the capacity under which he would most likely bounce back.
Upon a possible return, the NRA historical has widely been ripped to replace Vice President Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi who has occupied the position for a decade now. He could also bounce back to one of his former positions prior to his sacking as both Prime Minister and NRM Secretary General.
The particular role notwithstanding, it is very clear that Mbabazi will play an important role in the next Museveni administration.
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