I had no powers to make decisions while in Museveni cabinet, says Mbabazi

Independent presidential candidate Amama Mbabazi has distanced himself from claims that he failed the country and government during his tenure of office as a prime minster.
Mr Mbabazi on Tuesday said all the decisions are made by the president who is the head of state and not a cabinet member like himself.

“The constitution bestows all the executive powers in the president and he has to exercise such powers as the constitution demands. Me, I only did my advisory role as required,” said Mr Mbabazi.
Mr Mbabazi made the remarks on Tuesday in Arua at a presser he called to respond to issues raised about his competence by the incumbent and NRM flag bearer, Yoweri Museveni.

Mr Museveni was on Tuesday was quoted in the media saying his competitors, especially the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye and Mr Mbabazi have no capacity to lead the country as they both failed when they were employed to serve in his government.
“Dr Besigye who once led the secretariat and Mr Mbabazi who was the leader of government business and running the secretariat failed. After messing up everything, they want me to go away and they destroy the country. They want to mess up the army which is now functional,” added Mr Museveni who has been in power for 30-years.
Mr Museveni also attributed government failures to Mr Mbabazi whom he said was the key decision maker during his term of office as premier.

In his response however, Mr Amama says he was only doing his advisory role to the president.
“There is a difference between head of government business in Parliament and head of government business. I only performed the former. I was only doing my advisory role to the president. It is the president who has the powers to makes decisions. I wish I knew that I had all powers to make decisions as the President claims. This country would be different,” Mr Mbabazi said.

Mr Mbabazi further noted that while in cabinet, he was bound by cabinet responsibility to support positions decided upon by the president.
"Difference now is that I am out of cabinet. Back then I was tied to cabinet collective responsibility. The problem with Museveni is that he credits himself with all successes and attributes failures to others,” he added.