{UAH} "MBABAZI CONFERENCE" - POWER OF THE GUN AND CASH EXHIBITION

"MBABAZI CONFERENCE" - POWER OF THE GUN AND CASH EXHIBITION

Mbabazi conference dubbed NRM delegates conference
The recently concluded NRM conference was nothing but a public show of the power of CASH and the gun at Museveni's disposal that he can apply with impunity in his life presidency project. It was an occasion set to show the mighty and resolve of Museveni in crushing whoever dares to challenge his hold on the power.

Life presidency project
In an effort to contain the growing influence of Amama Mbabazi - Secretary General and Prime Minister , Museveni stage managed the so called Kyankwanzi retreat where his sole candidature resolution was initiated. Following that resolution, he sacked Amama Mbabazi from the Premiership. He dispatched his party cadres to the countryside to undermine Mbabazi's influence. In the meantime, Museveni convened his National Executive Committee (NEC) to force Mbabazi from the position of Secretary General. This week he dealt a final blow on Mbabazi by amending the party constitution to provide for powers for him to appoint the party Secretary General. He now feels abit relieved and he will make sure that his next choice will be a symbolic Secretary General who will act merely as his political assistant and not the independent minded historical like Kahinda Otafiire as some sections are speculating. Otherwise, Museveni has assumed the role of party Secretary General. Even Milton Obote could not dare assume the powers of appointing a party Secretary General.

The power of the gun
Mueveni's power base is the security forces. He has tamed that sector to the extent that it is no longer in dispute that the armed forces have been incorporated into his party structures. Since Mr. Mbabazi was accused of eyeing the presidency, security forces have been harassing and intimidating both Mbabazi and his sympathisers. Top army, Police, intelligence and government officials suspected to be sympathetic to Mbabazi have been placed under close watch.

During preparations for the recently concluded Mbabazi conference, security forces played the role of intimidating and sidelining suspected Mbabazi sympathisers so as to keep them away. There is no doubt; because of the illegality and ill motivation of the conference, the Museveni cohorts had highly anticipated serious protests by the Mbabazi sympathisers that would have sparked off massive protests. 

For fear of serious security breaches, the organisers focused so much on the security aspect. Gen Jim Muhweezi was put in charge of security and accreditation. The so called accreditation process stretched to the lowest level of the party structures and involved Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), Internal Security Organiation (ISO), Police and local army commanders since Museveni's party is fused with the state. This was meant to ensure that those suspected to be sympathetic to Mbabazi are left out. On the contrary, if the party constitution stipulated the composition of membership of the delegates conference, why would the organisers bother with vetting, screening and accreditation!!!! It is this security and accreditation committee that undertook the task of vetting and approving the service providers like transport, hotels, decoration, printing, catering etc. 

The army, Special Forces under the command of Museveni's son, Police and the intelligence services were heavily deployed in Kampala to secure the conference as in the countryside all security forces were placed on high alert. Battle gear patrols and armoured cars were on high alert in the city and around the venue. Some hospitals had been made to make reservations in the event of massive medical emergencies. The Police Chief who is a top party cadre had warned over plans of armed attack and poisoning of delegates. Either by design or by coincidence, as the conference was proceeding the security forces shot dead two suspected robbers in the city. The alleged BANKrobbers were in possession of a machete, axe, bow and arrows. For the first time bank robbers armed with an axe and bow intended to rob a bank in broad daylight moreover at a time when security had been hightened in all corners of the city!!!! Whatever it was, the inident sent a clear message to residents of Kampala that security forces were on the ground.

At THE HOTELS, accreditation centre and conference venue,  SFG, police, intelligence commandos and crime preventers were infiltrated into the delegations to spy and ready to pounce on anyone who would express dissent. At the hotels, they had the task of ensuring that the Mbabazi camp does not make a last minute mobilisation of the delegates. The ratio of commandos to delegates was 2:5 and partly accounts for the surge of the earlier expected delegates. The media block out would ensure that in case of any nasty incident, it would not go public.

The power of CASH
Museveni's other strong weapon of winning and retaining power is the use of of money. In the current fight against Mbabazi, CASH is playing a major role. Right from the time of the Kyankwanzi sole candidature resolution to the Mbabazi conference, billions of tax payer's money has been spent by Museveni in trying to dissuade sympathy from Mbabazi. NRM cadres were given billions of shillings for countrywide popularisation of Museveni's sole candidature. Youth groups have been targeted by Museveni's cohorts with lots of cash. Museveni has personally been making countrywide tours where he makes donations in billions of shillings of tax payer's money.

Hiring of transport from upcountry to Kampala for the delegates, accomodation, means, 0.5m FINANCIAL  facilitation for each of the 17000 delegates, printing of posters and T-shirts, airtime on mass media, etc cost billions of tax payer's money. Generally it was an opportunity to MAKE QUICK CASH by some of the privileged organisers as had been the case during the CHOGM. It is obvious that the head of the security committee Gen Muhweezi took a lion's share through the usual classified security expenditures. He must have quenched his thursty for he had spend long without accessing public finances. It is a fact that as usual the number of participants were inflated and in some instances the dead were replaced by way of official impersonation.

An attempt to swindle 0.2m shillings from each of the 17000 delegates was thwarted by Museveni's last minute intervention. Still this did not help as some delegates yelled to Museveni about their money as he took to the podium during the conference. During his speach he warned delegates against monetising politics.  Cadre Tadwong who is Museveni's newly-found top mobiliser gave some lame excuse of the number of 10,000 planned for delegates had surged to 17,000!!!! True, the surge was brought about by the official incorporation of members of the security services and crime preventers who mingled with the delegates at the hotels, accreditation center and the conference venue.
  
Conclusion
In all, the delegates did not debate the party constitutional amendments but the occasion was simply used to launch another Museveni dictatorial land mark. The successful exhibition of cash and the power of the gun will psychologically reinforce Museveni's future moves to strengthen his dictatorial political machinations. For Gen Jim Muhweezi, since he has successfully coordinated security for the Mbabazi conference, he will continue to act as the defacto coordinator of sole candidature Intelligence services. However, Museveni's team is still troubled by Mbabazi's aloofness over his next move. So as not to take chances, Museveni may be organising criminal charges against Amama Mbabazi.

INFORMATION IS POWER

Posted by Uganda - A Change of Guards! a

Viele GruBe

Robukui

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