{UAH} Pojim/WBK: NRM’s Shirt No 2 has been retired permanently, just ask Mbabazi - Comment

http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/OpEd/comment/-/434750/2783756/-/eiafit/-/index.html

NRM's Shirt No 2 has been retired permanently, just ask Mbabazi

Once in a few generations, a team finds it fitting to honour an outstanding player deemed irreplaceable by retiring his shirt number forever and nobody is allowed to wear the number again. His shirt is then symbolically hung at a place of honour.

Uganda's ruling National Resistance Movement also seems to have retired its Shirt No 2. The decision was never announced, but the deployment of the Movement's Number Two had never been announced officially in the first place either. So announcing the retiring his shirt was unnecessary.

NRM's Shirt No 2 was thus worn and retired the same way — unofficially.

At the time of his death in March 2013, Eriya Kategaya was Uganda's first deputy prime minister and minister for East African Community Affairs.

Last week was four months past his anniversary but his passing came to mind because July 1 was supposed to be a big day in the East African Community, marking the completion of the Common Market.

Well, Kategaya has never been replaced as Uganda's minister for EAC affairs, though two Cabinet reshuffles have taken place since.

The official Cabinet list issued by State House clearly states that the portfolio is vacant. That is only the overt appointment. But Kategaya was more than that.

When Kategaya passed on in a Nairobi hospital, Kenya was going into elections. Discerning Kenyans noted that top presidential contender Uhuru Kenyatta, arrived two and a quarter hours late at Gatundu South constituency were he was expected to cast his vote at 9.00am.

Kenyatta was delayed because he first had to go and commiserate with the Kategaya family at Lee Funeral Home. That on the most crucial day of his career Kenya's incoming president had to give two hours to a dead man is an indicator of what Kategaya was.

Back in Uganda, Kategaya had long been described as "de facto number two" since before NRM took power and for two decades after. Because of NRM's informality, such titles as de facto number two and official number two arise.

Ugandans have known for three decades that the official number two may in reality not even be among the first 10 in the so-called queue.

NRM has never forgiven one Kizza Besigye for trying to jump that queue 15 years ago. No vice president or prime minister has worn Shirt No 2 in the past 30 years.

Former VP Gilbert Bukenya once thought it was his until a few "smaller" people kicked him about and he realised his true place.

In the past decade or so, former prime minister Amama Mbabazi was thought to be have assumed No 2 after Kategaya started taking a backseat. Until a youth lady MP called Evelyne Anite who was born as NRM was taking power slapped him around for several weeks and he couldn't hit back.

When President Yoweri Museveni was swearing in Dr Ruhakana Rugunda as prime minister last year after sacking Amama Mbabazi, he commended Rugunda for never grumbling when his juniors were appointed in positions above him. That is NRM, where juniors can serve as bosses of their superiors.

Kategaya himself was never full prime minister, always deployed as first deputy prime minister. Today, both his official and unofficial posts remain unfilled. NRM's Shirt No 2 is permanently retired.

NRM's Shirt No 2 has been retired permanently, just ask Mbabazi - Comment

http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/OpEd/comment/-/434750/2783756/-/eiafit/-/index.html

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