Uganda, Kampala. – If the dropping of Mr Amama Mbabazi from the Prime Minister position results into a bare-knuckle political fight pitying the ruling party’s secretary general against party chairman President Museveni, the implications for the NRM could be dire.
Since the disagreements between the duo became public knowledge about a year ago, President Museveni was seen, or perceived, to avoid contact with Mr Mbabazi. On occasions when their paths met, like at the recent fundraising for the Catholic Church to rebuild the Namugongo Martyrs shrine at Serena Hotel, Mr Museveni seemed to avoid eye contact with his Prime Minister and the handshake was clearly lukewarm.
Sacking Mr Mbabazi, which to many was long in coming given the length of time the futile machinations to get him to denounce his perceived presidential ambitions have taken, should therefore spare Mr Museveni the inconvenience of having to encounter him during Cabinet meetings and other government functions. But this will not spare the President coming face to face with Mr Mbabazi during the key party activities that will dot the coming year as they prepare for the 2016 elections.
By virtue of being NRM secretary general, Mr Mbabazi is secretary to the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC), which the President chairs.
Mr Mbabazi also plays a central role in the convening of the National Conference, the party’s top-most organ which, among other things, has powers to amend the NRM constitution and choose candidates to represent the party in national elections.
Mr Mbabazi’s wife, Ms Jacqueline Mbabazi, being the chairperson of the party’s women’s league, despite recent attempts to drop her from the position, is also a member of CEC.
The CEC comprises the chairman, Mr Museveni, the vice chairman, Hajj Moses Kigongo and the secretary general, Mr Mbabazi. The other members are the first vice chairperson, the second vice chairman, the four regional vice chairpersons, national treasurer, deputy secretary general, deputy national treasurer, chairperson of the parliamentary caucus, chairpersons of the national special leagues committees and chairpersons of commissions.
This organ has in the past scuttled attempts by three party members, including Dokolo MP Felix Okot Ogong and Capt Ruhinda Maguru, to contest against President Museveni for the party’s ticket in the national presidential elections.
Also, any proposed amendments to the NRM constitution are channelled through the secretary general, who is also the secretary of the disciplinary committee. As head of the party’s secretariat, Mr Mbabazi was in charge of registering the party’s members, in the “Yellow Book” project. The project was aimed at “ascertaining the party’s actual support” around the country in preparation for the elections.
What is Museveni’s game plan?
It would appear, therefore, that Mr Museveni still has to uproot Mr Mbabazi from the party’s body politic.
Hajj Abdul Nadduli, the NRM vice chairperson for Buganda, says we may be reading too much into the whole thing. He says many party members, including himself, have been “concerned” that the party was being neglected as responsibilities of the Prime Minister consumed most of Mr Mbabazi’s time.
In 2010, Mr Mbabazi rejected calls to step down as secretary general; arguing that by virtue of the NRM constitution, the secretary general post is not a bureaucratic one, meaning it is not a full time job, like is the case with parties of Chama Cha Mapinduzi of Tanzania and the Africa National Congress of South Africa. The solution, Mr Mbabazi said, would be to amend the NRM constitution and provide for a bureaucratic secretary general.
He insisted he was elected by the National Conference, the party’s topmost organ, and that it was the only one with powers to drop him. He argued further that he was not the only top figure in the government who held more than one position, citing Mr Museveni who, on top of being president, is also the party chairman and commander in chief of the armed forces.
“Now he (Mr Mbabazi) will have enough time to organise our party; one office had swallowed up the other and the party was suffering,” Hajj Nadduli said. This is the same reasoning reiterated by Mr Ofwono Opondo, the head of the government media centre, to explain Mr Mbabazi’s sacking.
However, by so saying, the duo suggests that all Mr Museveni had in mind was to release Mr Mbabazi so he could execute the party functions more effectively.
The circumstances of Mr Mbabazi’s sacking though do not seem to corroborate this version. In Museveni’s communication to Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga On Thursday that Mr Mbabazi had been replaced with Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, for instance, the President said the changes would take “immediate effect.” So why the hurry?
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