Veteran celebrated journalist Andrew Mwenda has reveald that President Yoweri Museveni has already started on the journey of getting a person to succeed him politically and his family is already zeroing on his son who is also the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba or his young brother who also doubles as his Chief Advisor on security and defence Gen. Salim Saleh
However, it should be remembered that recently, Gen Muhoozi posted on his alleged X handle that even though many people think and believe that he is likely to replace his father as the country’s Chief Executive Officer, his uncle Gen Saleh is the most suitable candidate.
However, Mwenda said that on the several occasion he has interacted with Gen Saleh, he looks uninterested in becoming the president yet according to Museveni’s succession plan, he is on top of the list.
Mwenda said that the only person who is scaring Museveni’s succession plan currently is the flamboyant Speaker of parliament Annet Anita Among who is becoming very powerful to the extent that she controls parliament, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party which is the ruling party in government, the judiciary and thus warned Museveni to be very careful so that such powers do not extend to the army.
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Mwenda claimed that it is very difficult in Ugandan Courts to win a case against Among noting that a number of judges are under her control because she is the one who vetted them and gave their relatives and friends jobs at parliament where she controls more than 2000 jobs.
The succession plan is going to be fundamental in determining who will be the next Speaker of parliament and both Mwenda and Charles Onyango Obbo and former New Vision Chief Executive Officer Robert Kabushenga agreed that Gen Muhoozi, Gen Saleh and Gen Museveni will be the ones to decide who the next Speaker will be and as it currently stands, Democratic Party president and also the Minister for charge of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Norbert Mao still has a lot of chances of taking the juicy slot to become the country’s number three.
The three journalists agreed that the next speaker is going to be fundamental in shaping Museveni’s transition, Kabushenga warned that Among being a wife to Federation of Uganda Football Association (FUFA) Moses Magogo if not carefully controlled, she will exploit that opportunity to snatch the slot to replace Museveni as the next president of Uganda
Kabushenga explained that FUFA has a solid structure locally and internationally with individuals in leadership and decision-making positions who have a lot of money and skills of mafiasm which they exhibit in managing popular games.
He noted that with Magogo’s prominence locally and internationally on football forums, it gives Among another upper hand since she already controls NRM structures which run from the village level to put up a fight in Museveni succession battle.
Sources said that because of the political influence, money and power she holds, it is the reason why Among and her husband Magogo went through unopposed as Bukedea Women Member of Parliament and Budiope east member of parliament respectively and also helped a number of her people to go through unopposed and it is the reason why they are fighting tooth and nail to make sure that she retains her seat by moving from one media political talk show to another campaigning for her.
Sources said that those who tried to test her powers during the 2026 general elections were badly defeated and among them was Hamson Obua the government Chief Whip in parliament.
Mao, who is contesting against her for the office of the Speaker of parliament and Microfinance minister Haruna Kasolo survived narrowly.
Sources divulged that Obua’s troubles stemmed from contesting Among’s wish of being the master of ceremony on President Museveni’s campaign rallies in Northern Uganda where he is the NRM national vice chairperson and Kasolo also tried to do the same in Buganda since he is also in charge.
Leonard Egesa a political pundit said that speaker Among understands the threat her political career is facing and it is the reason why she turned ruthless to prove that she is still in control and has power.
He cited her invisible hand in making sure that Museveni and NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong both sign her endorsement letter.
However, he insists that Museveni can no longer accommodate Among’s influence noting that chances are high that she may be humiliated the way former Speaker Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga was when she tried to test Museveni’s powers by creating another power centre in his government.
Sources said that Among and her husband Magogo have to be careful in dealing with Museveni’s succession plan especially given the fact that their political careers are littered with scandals which resulted into their being sanctioned by United States, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and their allies on accusations related to corruption and abuse of office.
But speaker Among defended herself that she was sanctioned because of Uganda’s sovereignty and accused developed countries of punishing her on grounds that she spearheaded the passing of the homosexual law which they were facilitating to disorganises Ugandan culture.
Ofwono Opondo, the elected Member of Parliament of elderly people of Eastern Uganda who is being accused of benefiting from Among’s unopposed initiative confirmed that the speaker made some mistakes earlier but she has learned on the job.
He boasted that NRM cannot support Mao an opposition leader who has been abusing Museveni for a longtime before signing the secret Cooperation agreement with the president who is also the NRM national chairperson.
Even though many think that Museveni, Gen Muhoozi, Gen Saleh, Speaker Among are the ones holding power centres in the country, veteran journalist Peter Kibazo noted that first daughter Natasha Karugire Museveni and first lady Janet Kataha Museveni will play a major role in influencing any decision made.
Highly placed sources in diplomatic circles told Ono Bwino that even though Ugandans are concentrating on Gen Muhoozi and Gen Saleh as Museveni’s replacement, first-son-in law Odrek Rwabwogo and Buganda Premier Charles Peter Mayiga are also considered as suitable candidates to take Uganda into the next phase of what they termed as the democratic route.
