Mbabazi got what was coming to him
When a rat lives longer, it someday feeds on the cat’s skin, so goes a Buganda proverb.
This was the feeling Amama Mbabazi’s enemies and critics had when he announced his intention to stand outside the National Resistance Movement in the forthcoming presidential elections.
Mbabazi is such a towering man in Uganda’s last 20 year history, seen as kingpin, kingmaker and breaker, in the ruling NRM.
I have heard many stories about the man – I am sure many are lies or created with the intention to mislead the public. Of course some could be true.
But I would like to stick to what has been in the public eye – a good reflection that a lot can happen between today and tomorrow .
Mbabazi and his bff President Museveni – have been known to be close in public and behind the curtains, for some years. You will see a picture here and there of the two in brown or white Kaunda suits going about what they do best; politicking.
The two men are said to be close, that even when the fighters in the jungles of Luweero were angry with the man, and agreed that he should face punishment for “un-revolutionary” practices it was Museveni who saved his head.
Luckily, Mbabazi was not in the bush with his comrades – I wonder how many would survive in such circumstances.
After 1986 when NRA took over, Mbabazi who had been living in Sweden at the time, returned home.
His appointment in security, I hear, was not greeted by many people. It is told that Jim Muhwezi and Amama got disagreements around this time, a relationship that has characterised their political careers over the years.
Along the way, people gave him names including Super minister, Mr Clean, mafia – and at some point accused Dr Kizza Besigye of jumping the queue. Mbabazi has tried to explain the circumstances under which Besigye ‘jumped the queue’ – I was not convinced.
What is strange about Museveni and Mbabazi is the fact that when everyone was against the latter, it was always Museveni coming to his defence. A lot of what we know about him has not come from Mbabazi himself; his ugly side, we know from his critics and the positive, from the president.
It is the president who told us that Mbabazi doesn’t booze. That he does not play around with women, he is disciplined, et al, even when the public was baying for Mbabazi’s blood over his land deal with Temangalo and NSSF. Poor Fund’s boss Chandi Jamwa got the beating, sacking and some jail term for his actions. Mbabazi survived the storm.
However, it was September 2010 that I believe destroyed Mbabazi.
A moving speech by Minister Kahinda Otafiire at the NRM delegates conference in Namboole while campaigning for the secretary general position, reminded the delegates that their party was born of “sweat and blood”.
Museveni had been accused of ring fencing the SG position for Mbabazi. Prof Gilbert Bukenya, who also wanted the same position, fell never to rise in the party. Mbabazi won the race. NRM party was never the same. The relationship between Mbabazi and his boss would also shift.
Five years down the road – Mbabazi is at loggerheads with the party – I believe it is a painful position. But is something anyone with a bird’s view of Ugandan politics would see coming.
Last Friday’s announcement has been five years in the making. The President insisted that Mbabazi had to leave one position – stick with the party or remain in his government. Mbabazi wanted both the party and the presidency come 2016. And by keeping the two positions, he exposed himself. It was only a matter of time. He had actually overstayed his welcome.
And as the former prime minister embarks on his journey – I remember the lessons I have written before in this space on friends. Life is indeed full of surprises. There are indeed no perpetual friends, or, enemies. It is interests.
