Kutesa the politician and mentor

Any mention of rich politicians in this country will not skip the name Sam Kutesa. In fact the Minister of Foreign Affairs is usually rumoured to be involved in every kind of lucrative deal.

He also belongs to a group of people who are close to the President. His critics allege that Kutesa has a sharp sense for money so much that he never fails to know when and where the deal is cooking. Secondly, back at home in Sembabule, Kutesa's name is cited whenever the local politics is discussed.

Recently court nullified an election of one politician in Sembabule. Kutesa was cited in the involvement in the electoral mess. Amidst all these accusations, Kutesa remains a quiet man. He rarely speaks especially to the press.

Because of this controversial lifestyle, Grapevine recently sought some tit bits about Kutesa. Here are the findings: Kutesa is indeed a moneyman. He loves money. He is also a ladies man. Contrary to the public belief that Kutesa is a mafia, Sam is actually loved by many politicians both in power and in the opposition. It is said Kutesa is one NRM guru who was once in DP but has still remained in touch with his former DP friends. Sometimes he financially bails out his DP friends. "Once he is your friend, Kutesa will not let you down. Outside politics, Kutesa is a nice guy," an opposition official told Grapevine.

Other than his flooding wealth, Kutesa is said to be generous to the extent that many businessmen in Kampala have made progress in their trade because of his support.

Political differences
Grapevine was told that in Sembabule, Kutesa is however a bitter man. Reason? That he helped several young politicians to come up only for them to turn against him.
Rumours abound that Kutesa financed Herman Sentongo to become the first chairman of Uganda National Youth Council.

But today, Sentongo is at the forefront fighting Kutesa.
The worst is that the political differences between Kutesa and others in Sembabule have taken a tribal dimension. "Whoever fails to pay back Kutesa's good gesture simply tells the population that Banyankore are taking their land. Because land is sensitive, many people have believed the propaganda," a source said.

Grapevine has also learnt that in Sembabule, instead of giving personal accountability, local politicians are only blowing the tribal trumpets to keep the population away from demanding individual accountability from leaders.

"Sembabule was once regarded as a hunting area for the Kabaka, therefore, there was no development. The immigrant Banyankore especially Bahima cattle keepers persisted there and lived peacefully with the indigenous people," a senior politician from there said.

Originally, Sembabule was to be constructed on the theory of a multicoloured mat that looks attractive, symbolising the diverse tribes. But because of bad politics, everyone is now trumpeting tribal sentiments. The sounds from the trumpets have rubbed Kutesa the wrong way because the trumpeters are mainly those who once picked a coin or two from him. The man feels betrayed. Any way Sam, this world is like that. Don't despair; that's not the character of revolutionaries.

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Musumba outbursts anger Kadaga

Busoga politics is very interesting but also very complicated. The politicians there are specialists in verbal artillery. FDC's Salaam Musumba is said to have a master card in verbal artillery, which was once described by Mary Karooro Okurut as ekimansulo of the mouth (loud talker).

The Basoga politicians destroy their opponents through insults and the latest victim is Deputy Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga. Ms Kadaga is bitter that CBS radio has given a lot of airtime to Busoga politicians to insult whoever they want.

And the Deputy Speaker has warned CBS to restrain the attackers or else risk legal action. " I have in the past brought to your attention my displeasure at the conduct of your staff in relation to the Saturday programme which runs from 8am to 10a.m. Your staff have a habit of importing from Busoga, lumpens, idlers and frustrated politicians like Salaam Musumba, Sam Kategere, Proscovia Naikoba among others whose major pre-occupation is to insult and denigrate a number of elected leaders in Kamuli district and in particular my person," reads Kadaga's letter to CBS.

The letter addressed to the Managing Director says the insults have gone on for three years. Be careful Madam Kadaga because these chaps may form Busoga Verbal Black Bombers Association herein referred to as BVBBA and demand a seat for interest groups in Parliament for a face to face challenge.

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Mbale town clerk defies minister’s orders

The war over tenders in Mbale Municipal Council is not yet over. The fight over Mbale Taxi Park is particularly interesting. The latest is that Hope Mwesigye, the State Minister for Local Government, wrote to the town clerk Mackay Odele to submit to her office some documents regarding the tender process.

But Odele refused. Ms Mwesigye wrote again to Odele to show cause why he should not be disciplined but Odele remained defiant. We hear Odele is telling friends that he is accountable to Ministry of Public Service, not Ministry of Local Government.

He reportedly said he is ready to pack his bags and head to his village than comply with Ms Mwesigye's directives, in defiance of his boss Mayor Richard Masaba aka Kanindo.
Maj. Gen. Severino Kahinda Otafiire of the mavi ya kuku fame also intervened in the taxi park tender wrangle but the war is still raging on.

Grapevine has learnt that Gen. Otafiire is not happy with Mr Masaba for disrespecting him. You know the price for disrespecting a General especially of Otafiire's firepower! "That boy (Masaba) is playing around," Gen. Otafiire is quoted to have said. So, bwana Masaba, don't say Grapevine never warned you.

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Janet at 'war' with her guards

Mama Janet Museveni, the MP Ruhama County is at war with her Presidential Guard Brigade guards. But this war is not a full-blown battle as it is simply a difference of approach and interests. The story is that some media reports last week indicated that Janet is nursing presidential ambitions.

Whether the stories are true or false is a different matter but they say there is no smoke without fire. Grapevine informers in PGB report that Janet no longer wants the inconvenience of escorts especially when she is in her constituency.

We have received reports that once Janet is in Ruhama, PGB guards especially those who move close to her are ordered to put on civilian clothes. They are also ordered to keep a distance from her. Grapevine was told that the First Lady wants to interact with her voters without the hustle and bustle of the guards. But this approach has angered some guards.

The PGB boys are now bitter that they are not allowed to do their job- guarding the First Lady. They are worried that if anything happened to her, they would be the fi rst to blame. Analysts also say Janet's alleged plan to stand for president is not far fetched. It's said she wants to do great work in Ruhama so that if an opportunity to be president dawns, she would use her constituency as a success story.

But there is also some information that State House is opposed to Janet being free with the public and to speak to the press as and when she wants. Janet reportedly argues that she is now an MP therefore, she is free to speak to any press and not necessarily the Presidential Press Unit. After all the Constitution guarantees her the right to freedom. Mama Janet, you are free in fact and in law.

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The story behind sale of Nakasero Market

Mama Janet Museveni, the MP Ruhama County is at war with her Presidential Guard Brigade guards. But this war is not a full-blown battle as it is simply a difference of approach and interests. The story is that some media reports last week indicated that Janet is nursing presidential ambitions.

Whether the stories are true or false is a different matter but they say there is no smoke without fire. Grapevine informers in PGB report that Janet no longer wants the inconvenience of escorts especially when she is in her constituency.

We have received reports that once Janet is in Ruhama, PGB guards especially those who move close to her are ordered to put on civilian clothes. They are also ordered to keep a distance from her. Grapevine was told that the First Lady wants to interact with her voters without the hustle and bustle of the guards.

But this approach has angered some guards. The PGB boys are now bitter that they are not allowed to do their job- guarding the First Lady. They are worried that if anything happened to her, they would be the fi rst to blame. Analysts also say Janet's alleged plan to stand for president is not far fetched. It's said she wants to do great work in Ruhama so that if an opportunity to be president dawns, she would use her constituency as a success story.

But there is also some information that State House is opposed to Janet being free with the public and to speak to the press as and when she wants. Janet reportedly argues that she is now an MP therefore, she is free to speak to any press and not necessarily the Presidential Press Unit. After all the Constitution guarantees her the right to freedom. Mama Janet, you are free in fact and in law.

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Want a police job? Pay cash

Fellow countrymen and women, we all know that man eateth where he worketh but this particular story is a sad one. The story is that government is recruiting new police cadets to bolster our small number of police officers. Aptitude interviews have already been done.

But the highly guarded info that Grapevine has however stumbled on is that the interviews were not free and fair just like our national elections. Grapevine reported recently that a certain powerful MP from western region had submitted 10 names of her campaign agents to the Police Authority to be endorsed for recruitment into the force. The influence peddling did not stop with this lady.

We now have reliable information that some officials from the Public Service Commission (PSC) made a lot of money from selling interview papers to the applicants. Grapevine was informed that most applicants were terrified by the aptitude test but were relieved after PSC officials gave them plan B. Plan B involved selling and buying of interview questions.

We are told that applicants with sophisticated networks paid Shs400, 000 to access the questions in advance. So, while other unlucky Ugandans relied on their brains, some were sure of passing courtesy of their cash. Ah! Ah! We wonder what kind of cadets these fellows who bought interviews will be. Definitely, they will be demanding kitu kidogo (bribe) from the population they are supposed to protect. The job is now cut out for you Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura.

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FDC completes paying for party headquarters

The Forum for Democratic Change has completed paying for its party headquarters premises in Najjanankumbi on Entebbe Road. One of the top party officials told Grapevine but declined to be named.

"We are done but don't quote me. You quote Wafula," the official said when Grapevine gave him an account of how they have been paying for the house that once belonged to Mr Garuga Musinguzi. Wafula's phone was off but Grapevine had already gotten the info from an impeccable source. The money is said to be close to Shs250m. Now that you have a home, don't worry about teargas.

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Two Generals eye Sudan deal

While most of the citizens were supporting the peace talks in Juba in the spirit of the ending the long war, some army Generals were actually supporting it for other reasons.
We have landed on highly classified info that while the government peace team was busy negotiating with the LRA rebels to abandon war; two Generals were negotiating a deal with the government of South Sudan (GoSS).

The deal involved the supply of military hardware. The two Generals wanted GoSS to sign a deal with them to supply arms and ammunition at a lucrative price.
The collapse of the peace talks in Juba is bad news both to government and the people of Uganda but to also the two Generals with business acumen.
The Generals, whom we shall not name for obvious reasons, are said to be close to each other.

The worry though is that Uganda does not manufacture arms but where were these Generals going to get their arms? Anyway, some fellows are sharper than we think.

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NRM targets key MUASA posts

After successfully breaking the lecturers' strike recently, State House has moved in to ensure that NRM cadres take up crucial positions in the recalcitrant Makerere University Academic Staff Association (MUASA).

The election of new office bearers for MUASA is slated for Tuesday.
As you read this, State House is backing Dr Chris Tuhirirwe for the chair to replace Dr Augustus Nuwagaba. The juicy part of the story is that Dr. Tuhirirwe is a new NRM convert who was baptised during a meeting at State House.

During the meetings to break the strike, NRM cadres reportedly agreed with the President Museveni that they should hold strategic positions in the university administration. Grapevine has been told that Mzee took the matter seriously and State House is now financing its 'candidates' in the MUASA elections.

According to Grapevine operatives at State House, a huge amount of cash has already been given out to NRM leaning lecturers to vote out 'opposition' incumbents. Dr. Nuwagaba is perceived as an FDC sympathiser. He is also accused of leading lecturers to defy the President's order to call off the strike last year.

It's rumoured that Dr Nyakana, Chris Tuhirirwe and Prof. Venance Baryamureeba (Dean of IT) have been meeting with Mzee at Nakasero to sort out the financial problems of the NRM cadres at Makerere ahead of the MUASA elections.
Dr Nyakana and Dr Barya who are new NRM converts have already taken up posts in the University Council.

We also hear the salary increment that was promised to lecturers before they called off their strike might be a wild goose chase. The document that contained promises of the said money was reportedly drafted by Baryamureeba and Amelia Kyambadde, not the University Council as it had been earlier claimed in the statement.
Perhaps it's because Makerere dons build for the future. They have little business concerning themselves with the present.

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Doubt still hangs around Bukenya’s post

We are not going to repeat the rumours that VP Prof. Mahogany Gilbert Bukenya is to be sacked because he dispelled such reports. But all we now know is that those close to the appointing authority are also shopping for Bukenya's replacement in case opportunity for a new VP arises. They are interested in a Muganda Catholic because the VP post has for a long time been held by a Catholic. Grapevine has learnt that Minister of Water and Environment Maria Mutagamba is the favourite candidate.

Mutagamba who defected from DP to NRM is said to have tickled the appointing authority and she is in the President's good books. Only time will tell.