Friends I was this time around writing a none political article, which I quickly shelved, because Chairman Nobert Mao stirred the hornet nest.
In one of those rare life-changing epochs, call it an attack of temporary insanity, Hon. Nobert Mao made a speech which might shutter completely his hitherto nascent relationship with President Yoweri Museveni. It might actually turn out as a blessing in disguise for Hon. Mao with the president loading him with more interesting assignments.
We don’t know as yet whether it was the President who gave a stone to Mao and told him to throw it into the hornet’s nest to test it’s ferocity!
The known is that Chairman Mao was enabled by Salim Saleh to become Gulu LCV chairman. His ex-wife Naomi, was a secretary to Maama Janet Kataaha Museveni and of course, Mao, has a Munyankole mother. His young brother called Okee, is forever bivouacked at Museveni’s various homesteads.
Therefore Hon. Nobert Mao, who is the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs in the government of his true benefactor, was the wrong messenger to deliver such a vital and crucial message.
Regardless, Hon. Nobert Mao gave us an interesting topic which, as usual, we have to debate it for at least a month as the Museveni boil room is cooking up yet another twisting one.
This is the condensed version of what the Gulu gladiator actually advised his boss to do:
“The government of Uganda where it is, including President Museveni, does not need to build another highway. He, Museveni, does not need to build another bridge; he doesn’t even need to commission another industrial
park. All he needs to do is to preside over a peaceful transition of power.”
An innocent and wise suggestion to you and me but not to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
Nobody I mean no one, operating under the sun, can successfully entice Gen. Museveni from giving up his coveted presidential seat.
At one time he laughed at the European Union which wanted to support him for the position of UN Secretary General if and when he relinquished power. He saw this as a ridiculous suggestion therefore a serious attack on his persona.
Sudanese millionaire Ibrahim Mo had also tried his bid by telling Mr. Museveni that if he ever retired from the presidency, he will be a candidate to receive US$5million as a prize for good leadership!
But President Museveni has only one profession he knows perfectly well and it is being a military man. Then he has done only one job: being president of a country. And his resume (CV) can’t be complete without mentioning that his hobbies include looking after cows and getting involved into other countries’ internal affairs.
Chairman Mao has dared to say that word ‘transition’ misguidedly avoiding the forbidden one called RETIREMENT. The Ugandan political graveyard is full of people who dared to tell President Museveni that “time is up to hang your boots!”
Eliya Kategaya, Museveni’s boyhood friend, was the first one to be pushed away after advising his buddy to retire. Amanya Mushega, Miria Matembe, Benon Tumukunde, James Wapakhabulo, and then that brave soldier called Col. Fred Bogere. One by one the Commander In Chief sidelined them for suggesting that he should retire.
If Nobert Mao survives, then we shall be proved right that he was a messenger who simply bangled the message.
Otherwise, it is now a given that Chairman Mao has perhaps crossed the Rubicon or has had his last supper!
The only person who hasn’t told Mr. Museveni to retire in this wide world is perhaps Haji Moses Kigongo forever his deputy chairman in the NRM. There is a story how Moses Kigongo the Kikuubo business man, became inseparable from Yoweri Museveni, the rebel fighter. But we shall not involve ourselves into that history here.
Haji Kigongo, an intelligent person of repute even without serious formal education, doesn’t want to find himself also being forced into retirement at such a ‘tender’ age. As long as the person he deputizes has a job, he will also have a job.
Has Gen. Museveni perhaps sat with his defacto number two – General Salim Saleh – and have an honest talk about a peaceful transfer of power? Don’t bet on it because Gen. Salim Saleh knows his elder brother deeply than any other living soul in Uganda.
Himself and his brother are running this country together therefore he is also not ready to force himself into early retirement.
How about MK bringing up the subject during one of those several evening strolls with his father at Rwakitura farm? If he did, I think his father gave him a lengthy lecture perhaps about Ankole cattle with their unique horns completely shutting him down about a transition.
This is the only reason why Gen. MK is currently “anazulula- here and there” in Ugandan uncompromising politics.
There was a rumor, completely unfounded I must add, where Mr. Museveni wanted to retire in 2016 and give the mantle to his erstwhile comrade John Patrick Amama Mbabazi (JPAM). That it was his wife, Maama Janet Museveni, who threatened to stand herself that Mr. Museveni shelved the JPAM idea!
Now where did Chairman Nobert Mao, a recent inductee into the Museveni inner circle get the guts to speak openly about ‘retiring’ the ‘unretirable’ Luweero general?
THE “WAKAYIMA- HARE” POLITICS:
Whether Chairman Mao was sent by President Museveni or not, his conversation is what serious Ugandans discuss in the secure walls of their homes!
President Museveni has ruled Ugandans for nearly 40 years but 45 years if you are from Luweero mostly through “wakamyu or wakayima- hare” tricks. Like WAKAYIMA-, Museveni has dominated the politics of the greater East Africa though sheer guts and trickery.
Invariably this has been Mr. Museveni’s Modus operandi wherever he wants to introduce some sensitive issues to the Ugandan society or to cover up something.
Museveni is such a genius that even God doesn’t want him in Heaven!
Every week for the last 40 years, Mr. Museveni creates a debatable topic or subject to waste our time on. Sociologists call this “social engineering” where a given society is conditioned to think or respond in a particular manner.
The endless debates we often find ourselves thrust in, dealing with various aspects, are engineered by Yoweri Museveni and his team of critical thinkers. Tamale Mirundi was once one of them and Andrew Mwenda is still an active member of this shadowy group!
Last week it was all about Muhoozi Kainerugaba (MK) and his new political grouping sorry civic organization; this week is Mao’s transition talk. Before, we were debating Italian Pinetti and her control of coffee after becoming tired of her sinister involvement in the Lubowa Specialized Hospital.
There was another engineered topic we discussed for weeks about the government’s plan to revy taxes on Kabaka of Buganda’s revenue collections!
There was a barrage of bad ‘news’ from Kenya, with President Ruto whom we had all assumed including Kenyans that he was a friend of Mr. Museveni, leading the onslaught. Ugandan maize was unfit for Kenyans; Kenya burns Ugandan milk; Kenya has stopped Ugandan oil to pass through it’s territory; among other not-so-smart stories from a neighbor.
Those stories came when President Museveni “yalina kayisawo” hence shielding us from knowing the entire truth.
There was a cover story which nearly killed the “Karamoja Mabaati thieving” and another one to kill the scandal involving a certain Tugume Nelson who disappeared with US$20million meant for coffee value- addition and boosting export. Not many Ugandans, especially those in coffee value- chain got a chance to hear about this charlatan called Tugume.
Have you ever wondered why FDC has lately been in the news for nearly two months? It was a diversion to make us forget a really nasty incidence which has happened in the country.
When we debate about coffee in the media, just know that the government is shielding us from talking about Bunyoro oil. Is the oil still there anyway?
My friends, if tomorrow you read about a “six-legged” cow seen loitering at NUP’s new offices, just know President Museveni “akyirinamu omuko- Museveni has a hand in that story.”
He mastered the most significant strategy in politics and that is the art of DECEPTION. You simply have to ‘lie’ your way through a successful political career. Museveni is often heard laughing at the Democratic Party (DP) with it’s motto: Truth and Justice!
What ‘truth’ when it was cheated out of a sure victory twice in 1961- when Ben Kiwanuka missed the chance to lead Uganda to independence- and then in 1980 when Milton Obote’s machinations rigged them out of a sure victory!
How about ‘justice’ as exercised by DP? Their former Secretary General (Party leader) Ben Kiwanuka then working as the Chief Justice was dragged out of his court chambers and murdered. His family has never received ‘justice’ because his body has never been seen let alone locate his grave!
It is President Museveni who always drums up that dilemma for DP. Finally he moved and buried the the truth and justice party when he recruited Chairman Mao and his members into the NRM. You don’t have to be a professor of Quantum Physics to comprehend the fact that, DP like UPC, are now proxy parties serving at the whim of Mr. Museveni.
AND HON. MAO IS NOT ALONE:
Like all Ugandans with some real substance upstairs, I am also of the view that President Museveni has done whatever is humanly possible to pull this country from the mortuary to a great political and economic power or long became .
Therefore, he can, with his head held high, decide to hang up his military boots and retire.
If this happens, Ugandans will become the happiest people on earth seeing a retired Museveni seating in a tent at Kololo listening to a new head of state.
There was a function at Kololo, I don’t recall which one, and then Tanzanian President Jakaya Mulisho Kikwete came with two of his predecessors – former Tanzanian Presidents- Ali Hassan Mwinyi and Paul Benjamin Mkapa.
It was a spectre to behold seeing these former presidents looking fresh and very happy!
And yet General Museveni has presided over several retirement ceremonies sending home his galant soldiers he fought with from Tanzania, Mozambique and into Luweero.
Why would he not realize that “what is good for goose is also good for the gander?”
Therefore why would General Museveni enjoy seeing these Tanzanians or even his Luweero comrades retire from the UPDF indeed giving up the only profession they know- the military – which some joined aged 15 years old and he doesn’t see the beauty in that?
Basically after a good day’s work, we all go home and rest. After a successful year, we get a month or so to go on vacation. Some animals get a kind of vacation called hibernation. Then after serving for years, one has to retire for the good of his body and mind.
This is not nuclear science but the order of nature as engineered by the Creator.
It is my long-held view that whoever is advising Mr. Museveni not to retire, is an enemy of Uganda. That person or them are simply blinded by short-term gains completely forgetting the journey of trepidation and sacrifice Museveni has traveled to bring Uganda to this admirable level!
WHAT WE CAN DO FOR MUSEVENI TO RETIRE PEACEFULLY:
In the English Premier league, a coach always ‘substitutes’ a player who has played exceptionally well in order to receive a ‘standing ovation’ or appreciation from the fans. The idea that the entire stadium stands and claps in appreciation, makes other players to play better to receive such accolades next time.
This is what we should do for President Museveni by standing “olwakasota- single file” from Entebbe to Rwakitura as he passes through on his glorious retirement journey.
If we are all talking about the same Museveni I know, then we haven’t touched the right button to entice him to retire. Hebia a very reasonable person who knows that, in life, everything has a price. Have we, as a nation, offered the right price to Mr. Museveni in exchange for his retirement signature?
It should be noted that no one is suggesting that Mr. Museveni should retire because he is messing up Uganda. On the contrary. We only want to see or measure how peaceful transfer of power (PTP) can happen in Uganda!
How can you say you have fixed the tap without letting water to pass through it?
If President Museveni has really cured the Ugandan political curse, as we all think he has done, let him allow a PTP to take place. But bringing MK or another member of the family will also not be the desired PTP.
Ugandans want a peaceful and fair presidential election where none of the candidates is named Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni.
I sometime seat down and even wonder whether the Tanzanian model of having one Chama Chamapenduzi (CCM) president replacing another is a true reflection of democratic maturity? This is the same problem facing South Africa where one ANC fellow is replaced by another as president of the country.
Therefore the change we seek here should not bring another NRM guy to rule over us. At least we can select an army general to replace Mr. Museveni. 40 years is enough time for one party to be leading a country!
I have always told my friends that President Museveni can easily retire if and when the following are done:
1- We offer Museveni a “free term” (2026-31) as was given to Namibia’s Sam Nujoma in appreciation for his idea for liberation from apartheid South Africa. A ‘free’ term will force Mr. Museveni to never come back.
2- We enter into an agreement where we, Ugandans, unanimously agree to NOT prosecute Mr. Museveni for any crimes or wrongs he might have committed advertently or inadvertently in the cause of liberating our country.
– this general amnesty must include all members of his family and senior NRM cadres.
3- We offer amnesty from prosecution to all his business partners and family members including of course never to take away their ill-gotten wealth.
4- We build a “Museveni leadership Institute” where he can also lecture to our future leaders. We equip it in such a way that it is his office in retirement.
5- We build him, through UPDF engineering Brigade, a retirement house with similar or more amenities like what is at Nakasero State House
6- We make him keep his current mortorcade complete with all the escorts and guns in order to boost his sense of security (Kenyans did this to a retiring Arap Moi). Affande Salim Saleh and Maama Janet can also be left to keep their current powers.
7- Like the Nigerian did to Gen. Abdulsalam Abubaker, we give Mr. Museveni a cash inducement or reward. Something like US$50million paid in five years can be a generous handout. Not that he needs the money anyway but it will be like an award given for good service to the nation
8- In retirement we agree to consult him on issues governance and security management. We leave him with enough power to be consulted on many issues
9- We name Entebbe international airport after him including naming some roads after him. We erect statues of Yoweri Museveni in all our seven cities
10- As a country, we don’t talk about the ICC (International Court of Justice) ever. People like Dr. Olara Otunnu should also be given their own ‘perks’ in order to leave Mr. Museveni alone.
President Museveni deserves all the accolades we give him because he has done what is humanly possible by reorganizing not only Uganda but also Africa in general.
Rwanda is peaceful because of Museveni’s idea to begin; DRCongo is on the road to peace and prosperity, because of Museveni’s idea to begin; South Sudan is now an independent country, thanks to Museveni’s idea to begin; East Africa is the best political and economic unit in Africa today thanks again to Museveni’s unwavering efforts.
Uganda has left the league of chaotic countries now we are knocking on the doors of Europe. With Museveni or no Museveni; no fool with ever mess up with Uganda. He can leave like tomorrow and the next day we seat down and amicably agree on the new terms of a country we want to live in.
BY WAY OF CONCLUSION:
Of course I would have wanted my supreme commander to continue with the quest of realigning Uganda. But life is engineered differently: no single human ever finishes what he or she set out to accomplish in life. We only try our best and then “tunajezulu- disappear” to let others also do their bid.
When rebel Yoweri Museveni was diagnosed wrongly by Dr. Kizza Besigye that they had given him poison during the bush war, he slept through that agony waiting to die. A sick Museveni had ordered the ladies suspected to have poisoned him (Oliver Zizinga, Getrude Njuba and Proscovia Nalweyiso), to stay near his bed to watch him die.
Thank God that another doctor, Ronald Batta, intervened in time and put Museveni on a regime of antibiotics. He only had a stomach bug not poison.
Even then, at that death-bed, Museveni never told any of his commanders who was to succeed him in the event that he passed away.
But I am not one of those people who think that his untimely departure will leave us in turmoil.
Uganda will remain peaceful because everyone has something to lose. We cannot simply pick up guns to destroy the massive wealth we have all built. Majority of us may not own arcades or malls, but our taxes have built good hospitals, schools, roads and bridges, beautiful homes, all for our exclusive use. Rich countries don’t have coups because their citizens don’t want to destroy their organized social orders and built- up wealth.
And I think we are not far from being an organized society where coup d’etat and chaos are things of the past. Whoever thinks he can mess up with this hard-earned peace and social order, is advised to move to another country before it’s too late.
If we can offer a good and favorable deal to Mr. Yoweri Museveni, as I have outlined above, he will, without doubt, retire from the presidency. Any other way will not work either for him or us.
Who comes next after him is another question we shall find the answer to and or another bridge we shall cross when we reach it!
LAST WORD: “I will retire when the NRM party doesn’t choose me as their flag bearer!”- Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (2006).
Adam Kamulegeya
adamkam2003@gmail.com
0779 104 336
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