Analysis
Can Mbabazi cope with new Katebe?
Ex-Premier Amama Mbabazi
Speaking in plurals, Mbabazi told journalists this week that: “I am the Secretary General of the NRM party and we have a lot of work to execute and I can tell you we are ready.”He added that the PM office will in effect accord him more space to represent his Kinkizi West constituents, ‘more effectively.’
Many in the NRM however suspect that Mbabazi is actually plotting to unseat President Museveni as head of state.
Indeed, for a man who has occupied the fourth most important political office in the land, becoming stymied to the Kyaddondo Office which has in the recent past been characterized by among other ills, failure to pay rent and workers’ allowances is no less than a loud condemnation to a political Katebe of sorts according to political analysts.
For starters, the invisible statesman that President Museveni has demonstrated, sacking a man who in the eyes of many was untouchable, may have the option of appointing him to the office of the Chief Justice.
But given the security of tenure associated with the office by law, Museveni would have reason to take a second thought pondering possible chances of retaliation while Mbabazi would be holding an office from which the president cant sack him according the law.
And yet according to constitutional lawyer Ladislaus Rwakafuzi the prospect of naming Mbabazi Chief Justice is far from given.
Rwakafuzi points out that much as Mbabazi is below is 70 years of age, as required by law, he would find hard time passing the integrity test which is also another constitutional qualification given Mbabazi’s scandals including the Temangalo land deal in which Mbazi got involved years ago.
” I doubt if he (Mbabazi)would be able to pass the vetting hurdle of Parliament since he has not answered the Temangalo case which put his integrity in question,” Rwakafuzi stated.
Much as Mbabazi has out rightly demonstrated presidential ambitions since the Kyankwanzi NRM National Executive Committee (NEC), to which his sacking is largely attributable, he stands slim chances to achieve his dream as long as president Museveni is both alive and interested in the ruling party’s top flag come 2016.
This is partly due to the growing enmity generated against Mbabazi within the NRM party with many members especially those in the succession queue, perceiving him too arrogant to occupy the highest office in the land but wishing him anything akin to demotion in a quest “to clip his wings.”
He will, in case he does not waver, have to wait until 2021 since at 72 years then (having been born on 16/01/1949) the constitution will still allow him to stand while at the same time disqualify Museveni’s on the basis of age
But even then, the fact that Museveni, Mbabazi’s peer has stayed at the helm of the country for a long time leaves his (Mbabazi’s) such a bid in a trickier situation in which his generation may be viewed by the electorate then as politically expired.
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