Uganda’s former representative to the East African parliament and also the national vice president general of the Democratic Party (DP) Fred Mukasa Mbidde has revealed that the ‘Gen MK @52’ birthday run signaled the conclusion of the political transition from President Museveni to his son who is also the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba
Last week, Gen Muhoozi supporters led by deputy speaker of parliament Thomas Tayebwa celebrated their supreme leader’s birthday with a charity run under the theme “Run for hope” which started and concluded at Kololo independence grounds.
Gen Muhoozi communicated to his people through his alleged X handle that they have collected more that Shs1bn from the charity run.
They disclosed that part of the money collected will be donated to Uganda Child Cancer Foundation that is fundraising to build a hostel.
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Mbidde said that for them to choose hope as the theme for the said charity run was a way of sending a big message to the world, and that is the reason why him and other government officials, business people, officers in security and intelligence agencies participated in the run.
“For us who read unwritten statements, who want to be in the next government, we were supposed to attend that birthday run because we know who holds the country’s power right now. Whether you want it or not, the political transition has reached its conclusion, and these old people who fought in Luwero triangle are going, it’s our time also to contribute to our country,” Mbidde said.
He added that it is not a must that Gen Muhoozi should take power through elections but whatever route they use during the transition process will benefit Uganda because the democracy which President Museveni has been using to run the country has cost a lot in terms of development and discipline among Ugandans that is why Uganda needs a leader the caliber of President Paul Kagame of Rwanda.
Outgoing Kira Municipality legislator Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda agreed with Mbidde that currently, the country’s power is in the hands of Gen Muhoozi and his uncle and also the Chief presidential advisor on security and defence Gen Salim Saleh and once the two make decisions, they brief President Museveni after.
“I remember when Dr Kizza Besigye was arrested from Nairobi in Kenya, one of the big ministers in Museveni government called me and told me that the only person who was going to save Dr Besigye is Gen Saleh, because Gen Muhoozi had already convinced his father that Besigye is very dangerous and has to be imprisoned,” Ssemujju said.
He added that the reason why there are a lot of fights in the speakership race is because the 12th parliament is going to be used to seal the political transition process in the country and a bill is already in pipeline to have the president elected by parliament.
Government officials in the corridors of power who understand what is going on have started fighting to catch Muhoozi’s eye so that they get his blessing and get a juicy government office in the coming government and this is the reason why they had to make sure that they are captured on camera participating in his birthday run.
The situation has made even the old guards like Maj Gen Jimmy Muhwezi, Gen Kale Kayihura to fight to be seen by the cameras participating in the birthday run.
“You think that speaker Annet Among is voluntarily telling public that she is not interested in presidency? A person who has tested power by being a speaker of parliament is now telling you that she is not interested in being a president. Gen Kayihura and former speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga also made the same statements because they personally knew what they were going through. When you see a person crying, you have to ask, who is beating him or her,” Ssemujju said.
He claimed that because Muhoozi knows very well that some of the people who participated in his birthday run are scavengers and are looking for survival, it is the reason he didn’t attend in person.
To prove to them that he was measuring their loyalty to him, he warned to take action against errant former CDFs of the UPDF who didn’t participate in his birthday run if they do not give a satisfactory explanation except Gen Edward Katumba Wamala.
Muhoozi himself said, “After Mzee Museveni, we shall take charge of the country, that is not only our birthright but our God (given) right!! It is inevitable. And we shall not shrink from that responsibility! Let us see those who will wage war against the will of Almighty God.”
Veteran journalist Charles Onyango-Obbo also noted that in Africa’s new dynasties, presidents are choosing their elder sons to succeed them with political power.
He gave the examples of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, Paul Biya of Cameroon, Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo (Brazzaville), and President Museveni.
“Long-ruling leaders are at varying stages of constructing political dynasties. In each case, sons are being positioned as successors, in a drift that echoes the monarchical habits of bygone eras rather than modern republican states,” he stated through his X handle.
However, insiders told Ono Bwino that even though all cards favour Muhoozi in succeeding Museveni, he is facing stiff competition from Museveni’s son-in-law Odrek Rwobwogo who is also interested being Museveni’s successor.
