Museveni answers Mbabazi on Mayombo

Arua.

President Museveni has said government could make public the report about the death of Brigadier Noble Mayombo, the former Defence permanent secretary.

Mr Museveni said the report is available and had been shared with the family of Mr Mayombo, who once served as his aide–de–camp.

“I am sure his [Mayombo’s] family got the report. His father (Rev James Rwabwoni) was still alive. I remember I discussed it with him. I know what the problem was; it was a natural problem. I can talk to his family. If they want us to publish it, we can publish it. The report is there,” said Mr Museveni yesterday during a press conference at Arua State Lodge.

If Mayombo died of natural causes, it negates claims that he was killed by some people as the President hinted during the 2007 burial of Mayombo who also once headed the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI).

“Our security services have been looking at criminally-minded characters in the region, who have been saying that by eliminating NRM cadres, they would finish the NRM. Mayombo’s name was high on that list and, of course, also Museveni’s, as the head,” the President said then. He had also indicated at the funeral that Mayombo could have died of a condition he did not manage well.

Mr Museveni’s remarks came as a response to a question by a journalist who asked the President to comment on the denial by Independent presidential candidate Amama Mbabazi that he had no role in the death of Mayombo and challenged the government to release the soldier’s death report.

Speaking in FortPortal on Wednesday, Mr Mbabazi, who was Security minister in 2007, said it was “Satan” spreading the “whispering rumour” linking him to Mayombo’s death.

Responding to concerns about the inquiry report about the death of Mayombo, Mr Museveni said if the family wishes, the government could make the report public. The late Mayombo’s brother Okwir Rwabwoni, said he was in a meeting – so couldn’t comment.

At the same media briefing, President Museveni reiterated that he will not be ‘intimidated’ to hand over power to people who have no mission for Uganda. Mr Museveni claimed some of the people now contesting for the presidency were after personal interests. “I cannot abandon Uganda unless the people of Uganda say ‘okay, we don’t need your mission’. Then I will be relieved,” Mr Museveni said.

The President said should he be re-elected in 2016 and his term expires (in 2021), he will respect the Constitution and retire. There are claims by the Opposition that NRM, which enjoys a 67 per cent majority in the legislature, could lift the 75-age limit from the Constitution. The NRM has time and again denied this claim.

However, given that Mr Museveni has gone back on his written word in 2001 not to contest again for the presidency in subsequent elections, critics say it wouldn’t be beyond his party MPs to amend the article on age. The last time they did it, in 2005, each MP was allegedly given Shs5 million.

By Felix Warom Okelo, Clement Aluma & Risdel Kasasira

THE BACKGROUND
At Mayombo’s burial in Kabarole District, President Museveni stoked suspicion when he said Mayombo, who he said was one of the National Resistance Movement cadres, like the Inspector General of Police, Maj Gen Kale Kayihura, had been a target for elimination.