I have no fight with Museveni - Mbabazi
Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi at Parliament recently. He has warned those fueling fights within NRM that their actions will neither weaken the party nor affect the achievements so far made. He has also denied that he has differences with President Museveni, saying those propagating this claim seek to cause divisions within the NRM. Photo by Geoffrey Sseruyange
What you need to know:
Breaks the silence: Prime Minister says those claiming rift between him and the President seek to divide the NRM party.
Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi has denied reports of a fallout between him and President Museveni.
Mr Mbabazi yesterday said widespread media reports of a power struggle between him and the President were the work of internal saboteurs working to divide the ruling NRM party.
The Prime Minister, who is also NRM secretary general, has been reluctant to comment about an alleged falling out between him and Mr Museveni.
In the past
It was the first time he was speaking out after senior party officials, including Mike Mukula and Capt. Francis Babu accused him of going against his word by refusing to give up either of his state or party jobs.
Sources told Daily Monitor yesterday that Mr Mbabazi’s comments were made after consultation with the President and that “any differences of opinion between the two” are behind them.
Mr Mbabazi said he was the victim of plans by a section of the party to portray him as a corrupt and incompetent leader in order to undermine any ambitions he might have.
His enemies, the premier said, were hiding their intentions behind public plans to modernise the party.
“That is what we are fighting countrywide but I am afraid it has arrived in Kanungu,” Mr Mbabazi said. Although he did not specifically refer to them, NRM MPs led by Lwemiyaga MP Theodore Ssekikubo have publicly announced plans to form a rival faction of the party if their demands for internal reforms, including one to force Mr Mbabazi to drop one of his two jobs, do not succeed.
MPs allied to Ssekikubo last month announced a parallel government, complete with cabinet positions. It is not clear whether the MPs are willing to quit the party and seek re-election as required by the law.
Speaking a couple of weeks after Mr Museveni accused him and Speaker Rebecca Kadaga of putting personal ambition ahead of party interest, Mr Mbabazi said he was being targeted because of his loyalty to the party.
Meeting
During a meeting with the Woman MP for Kanungu District, Ms Elizabeth Karungi and the Kanungu Resident District Commissioner, Mr Ben Rullonga in his Kinkizi West Constituency near Kihihi Town Council, Kanungu district on Monday, the Premier said the party is aware of meetings in Nairobi, London and other areas with politically sinister motives.
He, therefore, warned the youth against this sinister plan, telling them not to allow to be “bought like commodities in the market because that is dangerous to the country and we shall fight it.”
Last week, party officials recalled discussions during internal meetings, including at the May 2011 party caucus at the National Leadership Institute in Kyankwanzi, where Mr Mbabazi reportedly informed them he was appointed Prime Minister upon his private understanding with Mr Museveni that he would stop being Secretary General.
“If Mbabazi does not fulfill his part of the bargain,” said deputy NRM Spokesman Ofwono Opondo, “It would be a significant departure not only between him and President Museveni, but also us the party members.”
The party’s vice chairman for Central region, Capt. Francis Babu, told this newspaper that Mr Mbabazi is not being pushed out, but reminded to make good on his words as a leader.
He, however, criticised the “excitement and imaginations” by some “selfish” members that the party had slipped into a crisis due to an alleged standoff between the PM and President. “The President isn’t annoyed; he is just saying a gentleman’s agreement should be reached, Mr Babu said, referring to media reports, “There is no personal hatred between the two.”
