Museveni lauds Mbabazi for supporting liberation struggle

President Museveni has said despite developing differences with former Prime Minister John Patrick Amama Mbabazi, he cannot forget the past contributions he made towards the liberation struggle.

“I congratulate Rt Hon Mbabazi and Jackie; first and foremost, for being with us in the struggle to re-orient Uganda from a wrong direction to a correct direction,”Mr Museveni said at the Golden Jubilee wedding anniversary celebrations of Mr Mbabzi and his wife Jackie at the weekend in Kampala.

He added: “I can disagree with you now but I cannot forget the contribution you made in the past or you will make tomorrow. I’m not bothered about differences because I’m sure of what I’m doing. What is crucial is what Africa needs and not who this one, who that one is.”

In September 2014, President Museveni fired Mr Mbabazi as his prime minister and replaced him with Dr Ruhakana Rugunda for harbouring presidential ambitions.

He had unsuccessfully sought to promote his presidential ambitions under the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party.

The rift between the two later saw Mr Mbabazi contest as an independent presidential candidate in the 2016 General Election under the “Go Forward” platform.

However, the results declared by the electoral body saw Mr Mbabazi come a distant third after garnering just about one percent of the total votes cast.

Mr Mbabazi, who was believed to have crossed to the opposition side, spent close to five years out of Mr Museveni’s government.

But in 2021, in a surprise move, Mr Museveni appointed Mr Mbabazi as a special envoy to South Sudan and Ethiopia.

Speaking at the same event at the weekend, Dr Rugunda, who replaced Mr Mbabazi as premier following his sacking, recollected how the former was very instrumental in the liberation struggle days.  “He (Mbabazi) would come and we meet in Nairobi and some other places. I remember in 1976, he flew to Zambia with then-rebel leader Museveni to mobilise, to do some political work among Ugandan exiles that were living in Zambia. So, he was able to do difficult things under a difficult regime,” Dr Rugunda said.

Mr Mbabazi, applauded his guests, including President Museveni, for sparing time and grace his occasion as he and his wife renewed their marriage vows.

“Thank you to all of you who have joined us today, your presence is a gift we cherish deeply. Your love support and prayers have been pillars of strength for us especially during the most trying times,” he said.
“Each of you holds a special place in our hearts for you have journeyed with us, laughed with us, cried with us and prayed for us....”