{UAH} The Observer - Museveni: I can still work with Mbabazi
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The Observer - Museveni: I can still work with Mbabazi
Thursday, 18 December 2014 23:01
President Museveni (L) greets Amama Mbabazi at Namboole
Youths allied to former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi are engulfed in a bitter disagreement. Some accuse their leaders of secretly agreeing a deal with President Museveni.
The falling-out follows a December 17 meeting between Museveni and some Mbabazi- leaning youth leaders at State House, Entebbe. Youth leaders who met Museveni include Adam Luzindana, the NRM youth league vice chairman for Kampala, Willy Omodo Omodo (Northern Uganda), Shakur Walusimbi, a councillor in Kawempe division, and Isa Kato, the coordinator of the pro-Mbabazi youth group.
The meeting took place two days after the NRM delegates' conference adopted an amendment to have the secretary general appointed by the chairman, a move that many political analysts said was aimed at clipping Mbabazi's political wings. Some of the youths now accuse Luzindana and his group of pushing them to support Mbabazi's presidential bid, on one hand, but seeking favours from President Museveni on the other.
Matters reached a head on the group's WhatsApp forum (JPAM YOUTH NETWORK) today. Here, members asked Luzindana to explain why he and others had met Museveni without informing them and to clarify reports that they had defected to the president's camp.
Madi Kakooza, one of the members, said: "Let Adam [Luzindana] clarify on reports that he and Omodo Omodo have joined the sole candidature campaign."
Luzindana shot back, telling members how he had gone through a lot of trouble to build the pro-Mbabazi youth group into a formidable force. He said at the time he started "the struggle against Museveni" in February 2014, few youths were willing to join him.
"We started fighting Museveni in February when all of them [Museveni and Mbabazi] were in Kyankwanzi…tell Mbabazi to fire us or drop us if we made a mistake to meet Museveni. If you want, you can be with us or leave us. It is your choice."
On his part, Richard Neggu, another member, said it was insensitive for the leaders to hide some information from their colleagues because some of the youths had endured detention for fighting for Mbabazi.
"Don't tell us how you started this group," Neggu said.
Ali Kyamusana told Luzindana to stop intimidating members who are raising serious issues, while Emma Muzaale said Luzindana should know "he is creating a problem that will be hard to solve."
Museveni the charmer
Sources have told us that during the State House meeting, the pro-Mbabazi youths profusely apologized for opposing Museveni and pledged to support him in 2016 as the NRM sole candidate.
"We are very sorry, Your Excellency," Luzindana reportedly said. "Forgive us."
President Museveni with some of the youths at State House
Museveni, according to these sources, reportedly told the youths that he did not have anything against them, saying he knows they were being misled by some politicians. The president further said that his main concern was people in his government failing his development efforts.
He cited palm oil giants Bidco who he said have threatened to abandon operations in Kalangala because their request for more land is being frustrated.
"I am sending you to Bidco for a study tour and I am tasking the State House comptroller to immediately organise the trip. I want you to know what I have tried to do. I have tried to get investors to invest in your country but some people are failing me."
Museveni also told the youth leaders that he could have taken a hard line against them but as a parent, he had decided to be soft. But he said their actions had at times forced him to order police chief Gen Kale Kayihura to arrest some of them.
At this juncture, Luzindana told Museveni that more than 100 youths were rotting in jail for supporting Mbabazi. The president reportedly called Kayihura and instructed him to verify this report. He said if it was true, they would be released. Museveni reportedly told the youth leaders that he could still work with Mbabazi because he is not a bad person.
"Mbabazi was spoilt by these two girls," he said, referring to Jacqueline Mbabazi, the wife, and Hope Mwesigye, the sister-in-law.
Museveni told them that by working with Mwesigye, they were working with someone who does not care about their plight.
He said: "Mwesigye was minister of Agriculture, she was in charge of Naads; but how many of you benefitted?"
today, Luzindana and Isa Kato told The Observer that no deal had been struck with Museveni, contrary to what some people were saying.
"The struggle continues. We were defeated in Namboole, now we are going to turn our focus to fighting the sole candidate project," Luzindana said.
ekiggundu@observer.ug
http://www.observer.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=35583:-museveni-i-can-still-work-with-mbabazi&catid=78:topstories&Itemid=116
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