Mbabazi the loyal cadre

By Charles Etukuri
John Patrick Amama Mbabazi is known for attacking Col. Kizza Besigye for allegedly jumping the presidential “queue”. Whether it was a joke or not, one thing is clear: by openly attacking Besigye, Mbabazi gave the impression that he was probably ahead of Besigye in the queue.
It was hard to tell whether he was number two or three, but one thing that has become certain these days is that Mbabazi remains near the top. This could well be evidenced by the assignments that he has taken on while in cabinet and outside cabinet.
Considered a loyal and obedient cadre, Mbabazi has cultivated confidence in his appointing authority to the extent that at one time he was referred to as ‘super’ minister by the media, owing to his carrying simultaneous responsibilities as defence minister, Attorney General, and at one time, handled the affairs of the ministries of internal and foreign affairs.
The wave of assignments entrusted with Mbabazi is seen as an intention to enhance the minister’s profile and cultivate public confidence. He is hardworking and is close to the President.
He is a man not known for contradictions, although some would call him arrogant especially in the manner he conducts himself while addressing his colleagues.
When Stephen Sackur hosted him on a Hard talk show on BBC early last month, Mbabazi clearly looked smarter and answered all questions ranging from the deployment of President Museveni’s son Muhoozi Kainerugaba in the Presidential Guard Brigade and his subsequent rapid promotions to the third third term and the Northern war.
The movement has been hit with defections of key historical members, like de facto No.2, Eriya Kategaya, financial engineer James Garuga, Mugisha Muntu, Augustine Ruzindana, Col. Kizza Besigye, but Mbabazi, who is the member of parliament for Kinkiizi West has stuck with his master, and thus becoming the oldest blue-eyed boy of the President.
Although active in political life, Mbabazi has never forgotten his profession. On one occasion when he happened to appear in court, he achieved major victories for the Government.
He was part of the team that successfully challenged the Constitutional Court decision that had ruled that the referendum was null and void, but he successfully argued to the contrary in the Supreme Court.
He has also been instrumental in defending Uganda in the hague over allegations that it plundered Congo’s wealth.
He was instrumental in the recent negotiation with the Mengo team for the federal system of governance and he was able to handle that well despite the fact that he was dealing with a group that was not ready to accept anything except what they had originally wanted.
An articulate politician, he is the kind many think would never aspire to eat the master’s food, if the master still wanted it.
Thus, though it is rumoured he could have been the second on the list, Mbabazi has played a big role in the fight to remove limits on the presidential term to pave the way for his boss.
In case President Museveni does not stand for the presidency, it is speculated he would be comfortable with Amama Mbabazi taking over the mantle.
Mbabazi is regarded as being part of the insiders within the movement and, therefore, it was not surprising when the Vice President Dr. Gilbert Bukenya came out complaining about a clique of people who were undermining him. the media quickly pointed out that Amama Mbabazi was part of the group.
His track record as a minister stands out clean. He is not one of those ministers you will find in corrupt business deals.
Mbabazi has a national profile in that he is one of those who have been moving all over the country vigorously defending the Movement against its opponents, thus courting favour of the Movement supporters all over the country.
One thing that is evident, however, is that he may be a national figurehead, popular all over, but at least back home in Kanungu district and his Kinkiizi west county, he still has many voters to convince.
In the 2001 elections, Mbabazi was exposed when he was pitted against his erstwhile rival, Reform Agenda strongman and financial engineer James Garuga Musinguzi, who gave Mbabazi a run for his money and left the minister’s high-profile reputation tinted.
Mbabazi was declared winner of the parliamentary by-election after his opponent withdrew amidst complaints of intimidation. Mbabazi maintained that the allegations were untrue. It took the intervention of President Yoweri Museveni to have Mbabazi and Musinguzi shake hands at State House, Nakasero.
But Mbabazi’s biggest challenge could be from within the movement as he has the task of convincing the other members of the NRM that he is indeed better placed to lead the Movement to victory in 2006.
The Movement has other possible presidential contenders like the Vice-President, Gilbert Bukenya, who represents two voting blocks relevant to the Movement come 2006. There is the catholic block and the Buganda block and then there is the National Political Commissar, Dr. Chrispus Kiyonga, who is one of those people who are also seen as likely presidential material for the Movement.
A close friend of Mbabazi confesses that the minister could indeed be good for the job, but that he has a problem within.
“There are those in the current cabinet who feel that Mbabazi wields a lot of power and that he is undermining them,” he says.
Kiyonga, in an interview with Sunday Vision, stated that because of the way Movement is structured, they have never had formal discussions about succession plans within the Movement and that “President Museveni is a responsible person and has accumulated a lot of experience and knows what has happened in other countries.
“In the event that he decided not to continue, he would give us an option on how we should resolve that issue.”
So come November 12, all eyes should be on the President’s next move.
Ends