UGANDA: PRESIDENT MUSEVENI MAKES U-TURN FROM CENTRAL TO NORTHERN UGANDA IN THE NEW TERM

uganda museveni

Road side vendor waits for buyers for his pineapples

“When we took over power in 1986, there were some people who were confusing Ugandans with the tribal issue of Bantu and Nilotic division. Now you can see that the new team of leaders is working together”.

“I have been working with our former enemies, the Uganda People’s Congress Party (UPC). I now work well with Jimmy Akena and Betty Amongi. We are also working well with the Democratic Party (DP). Although Forum for Democratic Change are willing to talk to us, we are yet to reach them. The other group of National Unity Platform (NUP) are still distancing themselves but we shall reach out to them”.

KAMPALA-UGANDA: For the first time President Tibuhaburwa Kaguta Museveni in the history of his 35-year-old rule, Mr. Museveni has a debut and found new allies; shifting his focus and cadres away from to the once his support base in Central Uganda form where he launched his five-year war that brought him to power in 1986 to now getting new ones in the Northern region.

Three sons from Acholi now occupy top jobs in his government, namely; Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Jacob L’Okori Oulanyah (third in line of protocol after President and Vice President respectively), Chief Justice, His Lordship Justice Alfonse Chigamoi Owiny-Dollo (fourth in protocol after President Tibuhaburwa), and the Deputy Inspector of Police, Major Paul Lokech.

This came out clearly during his National Address, soon after witnessing the election Mr. Jacob L’Okori Oulanyah as the new Speaker of the 11th Parliament of Uganda and Amongi Anita the Deputy Speaker on Monday, May 24, 2021, in an election presided over by the Chief Justice, His Lordship Alfonse Chigamoi Owiny-Dollo.

This now means that the third and the forth top most Executive posts of the country are occupied by two sons from Acholi, Speaker of Parliament and The Chief Justice much to the protest from Ugandans from the Eastern region where the former Speaker, Ms. Rebecca Kadaga comes from who alleges that there is no balance in the Executive posts.

Mr. Oulanyah was nominated by the Central Executive Committee of the ruling NRM party as the official candidate for the Speaker’s race; a choice which did not go well with Ms. Kadaga who protested and stood as an independent candidate. She was defeated by Oulanyah who got 310 valid votes against Kadaga’s 197 votes. The third candidate, journalist turn politician, Mr. Ssemuju Ibrahim Nganda from the opposition Forum for Democratic Change party got 15 votes, meaning that the poll was not along party lines.

Mr. Museveni also thanked the Chief Justice, Lord Justice, and Alfonse Chigamoi Owiny- Dollo for being an exemplary Caretaker President of the country during the campaigns for Presidential and Parliamentary leading to January 15, 2021.

“Thank very much, and also for you chairing the election of speakership and steering it professionally well. Thank you very much”, says, adding; “When we took over power in 1986, there were some people who were confusing Ugandans with the tribal issue of Bantu and Nilotic division. Now you can see that the new team of leaders is working together”.

Oulanyah’ sudden rise to be the blue eye boy of General Tibuhaburwa has not been easy soon after crossing from the opposition Uganda Peoples’ Congress party in 2001 and was elected MP but worked closely with the NRM his leaning tendencies to NRM began to manifest when he chaired the Parliamentary Committee on legal affairs during which the removal of the term limits was discussed and passed by parliament. This paved way for General Tibuhaburwa to contest in 2006.

He lost his Omoro County seat to Simon Akecha Tolit of the Forum for Democratic Change in 2006 but bounced back to Parliament in 2011 on NRM ticket where he was elected Deputy Speaker and served two terms in that position.

The Sunday Monitor of May 23, 2021 says “five years ago, he was a vulnerable man. Oulanyah’s vulnerabilities are also his admirable traits: the bursts of energy, arrogant brilliance, and blind loyalty to power. These flaws bring down Oulanyah to a court jester what the Acholi “Rwot Ineka”- a courtier who lets out a burst of deep loud hearty laughter at every joke the King makes. But this, surely, is not the old affably lovable, and proud “citizen king”- Jacob Olanya Okori- of Boroboro”

Mr. Tibuhaburwa Museveni also thanked the former Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga for her dedicated service during the ten years she served as Speaker; especially for the fact that the election was being held on her birthday.

“I congratulated my sister, Rebecca Kadaga because today, May 24, 2021 is her birthday, but most importantly today also marks the day when Obote’s UPC government stormed the Kabaka Lubiri palace thereby ushering bloodshed in Uganda. We have to honor it more than the former Speaker Kadaga’s birthday. When you have disagreed with your enemy go and talk to him and you reconcile. You are not enemies but I know the election has polarized the MPs. It is your duty to talk to them and you move forward”, he counsels them.

He says he has not been attending to the problems facing the Ghetto youths in Kampala Capital City and other urban areas because his regime was still dealing with other more pressing issues facing the population, specifically the issue of unemployment, poverty among youth and corruption.

“These issues will be history during this kisanja (term)”, he assures Ugandans.

“We have bought four Uganda Airlines planes and more Airlines buses, but I was told that some people have recruited their relatives and friends, inflated big figures in expenditures that led to corruption. Later when I moved in, I dismissed those corrupt officials, now Uganda Airlines is back on track,” Museveni asserts.

President Museveni says the second thing he will handle is socio-economic transformation in order to bring the large number of Ugandans who are outside the money economy and bring them on board in a deliberate move to take the country to middle income status by the end of five years.

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