Museveni’s son-in-law admonishes ‘his supporters’, urges them not to speak on his behalf again

President Museveni’s son-in-law Odrek Rwabogo has admonished a group of people who recently attacked first-son Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, in what some quarters interpreted as two brothers fighting in the intricated corridors of power.

Odrek Rwabwogo, the Chairman of Exports and Industrial Advisory Development committee has castigated the group calling itself ‘Disciples of Odrek Rwabwogo’, who use the cover to insult Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

In a deleted tweet, Gen Muhoozi is said to have called out his brother-in-law a “thief” and pleaded with his father to stop taking photographs with people of such caliber.

In response, the Disciples of Odrek Rwabogo, issued a statement in which they called to the president to reign in.

Now Rwabogo has reminded the country that this group does not speak on his behalf as he stated wayback in October 2021.

“In this case of bad communication and poor judgement of the so-called disciples, I denounced this group in October 2021,” said Rwabwogo.

The group is led by a one Yosia Mugaaju and recently described Gen Muhoozi as an “irrational coward suffering from extreme sense of entitlement.”

However, Mr Rwabogo says, “I did this in both video and writing and invited witnesses and elders along with some of my peers who have been long-time teachers of the movement ideology. This was so that when we penalise bad behaviour publicly, we should also teach ideology, a better approach, good public manners, and etiquette to the young,” he added.

“This group still refuses to change and continues to speak as if they have my permission.”

Full Response Below:

MY RESPONSE TO THE LETTER CIRCULATED FROM THE “DISCIPLES OF ODREK RWABWOGO” ON SOCIAL MEDIA

I read a letter yesterday September 23, 2024, written to the President supposedly attributed to me by people who call themselves “Disciples of Odrek Rwabwogo”. I was deeply hurt but immediately reminded of the value of disciplined innovation or the lack of it in an organization. Any traveler who goes through the city of London might be familiar with a commonly used taxi called the “London black cab”.

 

This began as a carriage taxi using black horses, about 1634 by wealthy Londoners who could not keep feeding idle horses and wanted some revenue from the hobby. It then developed into a two-seater horse carriage by 1832 and by the beginning of the 20th century, a combustion engine was attached and now the “horse was fully motorized”. The black cab survived the First and Second Imperial World Wars, adapting to new customers’ tastes and advancing technology. Now, it is an iconic electric vehicle, reducing carbon emissions.

This is the same idea, curated and modernized for every new transport need, each generation iterating and handing over the entity to the next in a better shape in spite of the circumstances each group faces. Because we have been low on the teaching of our ideology and helping the youth with better cultural change and modern adaptation tools to new psychological, spiritual, intellectual, philosophical, and social circumstances, the Movement now often produces young leaders who shockingly seem in fashion, words, and approach to our society’s problems as good as the opposition. They seem to want to outdo each other (NRM and opposition youth) in insulting, lying, emotional, and physical violence and it is quite difficult to tell the difference for many aspiring to be leaders on both sides – Government and opposition. But, let us pause for a second, if a black horse-drawn cart can be iterated for 390 years and it is now a black emission-less taxi, what can we not do in our very youthful 38 years movement if we acted together? Can we not seek learning and growth instead of insults and lies?

In this case of bad communication and poor judgment of the so-called disciples, I denounced this group in October 2021. I did this in both video and writing (see attached) and invited witnesses and elders along with some of my peers who have been long-time teachers of the movement ideology. This was so that when we penalize bad behavior publicly, we should also teach ideology, a better approach, good public manners, and etiquette to the young. This group still refuses to change and continues to speak as if they have my permission. They don’t have my voice and should be ignored. They are part of the consequences of the lack of teaching in the Movement and the degeneration of disciplined thought and behavior in our public affairs.

Now, I need all of you who know our work methods and the tasks of exports and industry we are engaged in, to please understand that I do not need anyone to speak for me or to write under my name to the President, or anyone else for that matter on any issue. I do not need third-party spokespeople or the use of social media to deliver my messages to the H.E. the President or any other person.

The sad effect of this negative public communication and these kinds of messages on social media is that they serve no purpose other than seeking to inflame situations and build unnecessary resentment and they detract us from our very important work.

In an earlier message I gave in August, I told all who want to listen that my three key priorities are to bring honor and glory to God who gives us life and purpose, to nurture, protect, and strengthen my family and to immerse myself in the work of the country where I have been called to serve. The rest are peripheral.

To all those who follow our teaching sessions, please know that in all my 31 years of teaching, mentorship, and work in the Movement, in the private sector and now in the economy on the matter of exports and industry, I have never individualized our cause. This is because causes are bigger than singular people irrespective of whether these people are founders/leaders of these causes. Causes fill our thoughts and spill over to those who are able to see the destination and work hard at getting there. I am, therefore, embarrassed when I see people naming themselves after individuals. If your vision is all about an individual, what kind of future does that vision serve for the greater good of an institution? In the book of 1 Corinthians 3:5- 6, apostle Paul admonishes first-century Christians who were running after names of their teachers of faith, just the way I see today’s Movement supporters chasing after individuals. Paul said, “What after all is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants through whom you came to believe – as the Lord has assigned each his task. I planted the seed; Apollos watered it but God has been making it grow. So, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who makes things grow”

I, therefore, appeal to all of you to focus on the things that matter for our country: our education system producing more engineers to drive the industrial transformation of our economy, the funding of infrastructure for exports so we can lower the cost of production and compete, finding and keeping markets that give a higher return to our firms, better communication that heals and builds good public conduct and initiating the structural reforms needed to keep the Movement adaptive to changing circumstances so it can produce well be adjusted leaders for tomorrow.

Odrek Rwabwogo

Chairman, Exports & Industrial Advisory Devt committee

Kampala