Bukenya: The upland rice VP
Oct 23, 2005
When the Vice-President, Gilbert Balibaseka Bukenya hit newspaper headlines complaining that there were people undermining him, those who read through this complaint knew one thing was amiss? Why would, of all people, the No.
By Charles Etukuri
When the Vice-President, Gilbert Balibaseka Bukenya hit newspaper headlines complaining that there were people undermining him, those who read through this complaint knew one thing was amiss? Why would, of all people, the No. Two in the country decide to call a newspaper editor to express his dissatisfaction over the affairs in Government? If he was being undermined, why would he not call his boss and complain directly or as the second most senior person in the country, call in his juniors who were allegedly undermining him and reprimand them? Does he ever meet the head of state to discuss official matters?
That notwithstanding, Bukenya remains No. Two in Government and come November 12 when the National Resistance Movement nominates its candidates, Bukenya should be watched, should the Movement favourite candidate President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni decide not to contest.
Bukenya was named Vice-President (VP) on May 23, 2003, after a major Cabinet reshuffle that saw President Museveni drop prominent Movementist and anti-third term ministers including Eriya Kategaya, Bidandi Ssali and Miria Matembe.
His appointment to the Cabinet as a VP in 2003 replacing Dr. Specioza Wandira Kazibwe was viewed by many as a statement by the President of who his preferred successor was. A novice in politics, having joined Parliament in 1996 when he contested the Busiro North seat, he quickly rose through the movement ranks beginning as a Movement caucus chairman, minister for trade, state minister in charge of the presidency and then VP.
At the time of his appointment, it was widely believed that the President had a lot of hope in him. He still remains a loyal cadre. He is a Muganda and Catholic; two groups that feel politically marginalised.
Bukenya has never felt shy to state what advantages he has and assuring the constituencies he represents of what to expect soon. It was not therefore surprising when early this year, during the Easter prayers in Rubaga, he was quoted by all the media houses addressing the Catholic faithfuls, “Big things lie ahead for Catholics. Quote me on that.â€
Because he represents huge constituencies — Buganda and Catholics — Bukenya could easily be the consensus choice in the Movement. With word going around that the next President will be a Catholic, all eyes are on Bukenya, who is the highest-placed Catholic. There are very few politicians within the Movement establishment today whose influence has grown in Buganda as much as Bukenya’s.
But his advantages could also be his undoing. The energetic, enthusiastic and hardworking Bukenya has big homework. He needs to outgrow his tribal and religious advantages.
Being a Muganda is an advantage, as the community has not produced a President who has stayed in power long enough despite their being the largest tribe in Uganda. But the moment he became President, it would be his biggest undoing. His tribe will look at him as the best placed person to help them get their Federo and help them solve all their grievances, reminding him that he rode on their backs to the top.
At this, the man from Kakiri would be torn between being a Muganda and a Ugandan. Similarly, his continuous reminder that Catholics are soon getting bigger things goes contrary to the same Movement principles of doing away with partisan politics, to which he subscribes.
Close confidants would also argue that the No. Two man has not garnered enough political experience to be given an opportunity to run the country. The VP has equally been embroiled in a number of controversies and it is hard to imagine how he has stayed in that office for this long.
Recently, his name has surfaced in all sorts of unbecoming conduct ranging from accusations that he never declared all his properties to the Inspector General of Government (IGG), accusation of being part of those that benefited from the National Social Security Fund properties, the Mafia saga, accused of being quoted “out of context†every time.
His tenure at the medical school was also riddled with controversy. In 2001 an IGG report recommended that Bukenya be prosecuted for interfering with a fraud case in which his name was mentioned.
The IGG report followed investigation into corruption and abuse of office by Makerere University officials in 1996 when Bukenya was the dean of the Medical School. His accountability for sh115m was rejected by the University administration due to absence of supporting documents. He was asked to return the whole amount of money, which he did.
Despite his position in Government, Bukenya is not seen as an insider in the Movement system. The more radical Movementist would say that he did not fight in the bush, only coming on to the political scene in the mid-90s. His close links with the late James Wapakhabulo is what made him embrace the modern day Movement.
But one virtue which makes him stand out is that he is a smooth mediator. This could have been one of the key factors in his appointment.
He is one of the most respected scholars alongside the Prime Minister, Prof. Apolo Nsibambi. While head of the Movement caucus in Parliament, he was able to keep the Movement members together while maintaining a sound relationship with multipartists. He is among the moderate Movementists who supported the opening up of the political space and was part of the Government delegation on Federo talks.
His campaigns to eradicate poverty by the introduction of the upland rice scheme, though initially restricted to his constituency, has now taken a national outlook as he has been to various districts promoting its growth.
He has been very instrumental in the establishment of low-cost housing for low-income earners. The project has picked up in his Busiro constituency and there are attempts to extend it nationwide. Bukenya has currently embarked on the promotion of lemon oil production.
One thing that remains clear is that Bukenya remains one of the top contenders for the post of NRM party candidates for the 2006 presidency.
Ends
When the Vice-President, Gilbert Balibaseka Bukenya hit newspaper headlines complaining that there were people undermining him, those who read through this complaint knew one thing was amiss? Why would, of all people, the No. Two in the country decide to call a newspaper editor to express his dissatisfaction over the affairs in Government? If he was being undermined, why would he not call his boss and complain directly or as the second most senior person in the country, call in his juniors who were allegedly undermining him and reprimand them? Does he ever meet the head of state to discuss official matters?
That notwithstanding, Bukenya remains No. Two in Government and come November 12 when the National Resistance Movement nominates its candidates, Bukenya should be watched, should the Movement favourite candidate President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni decide not to contest.
Bukenya was named Vice-President (VP) on May 23, 2003, after a major Cabinet reshuffle that saw President Museveni drop prominent Movementist and anti-third term ministers including Eriya Kategaya, Bidandi Ssali and Miria Matembe.
His appointment to the Cabinet as a VP in 2003 replacing Dr. Specioza Wandira Kazibwe was viewed by many as a statement by the President of who his preferred successor was. A novice in politics, having joined Parliament in 1996 when he contested the Busiro North seat, he quickly rose through the movement ranks beginning as a Movement caucus chairman, minister for trade, state minister in charge of the presidency and then VP.
At the time of his appointment, it was widely believed that the President had a lot of hope in him. He still remains a loyal cadre. He is a Muganda and Catholic; two groups that feel politically marginalised.
Bukenya has never felt shy to state what advantages he has and assuring the constituencies he represents of what to expect soon. It was not therefore surprising when early this year, during the Easter prayers in Rubaga, he was quoted by all the media houses addressing the Catholic faithfuls, “Big things lie ahead for Catholics. Quote me on that.â€
Because he represents huge constituencies — Buganda and Catholics — Bukenya could easily be the consensus choice in the Movement. With word going around that the next President will be a Catholic, all eyes are on Bukenya, who is the highest-placed Catholic. There are very few politicians within the Movement establishment today whose influence has grown in Buganda as much as Bukenya’s.
But his advantages could also be his undoing. The energetic, enthusiastic and hardworking Bukenya has big homework. He needs to outgrow his tribal and religious advantages.
Being a Muganda is an advantage, as the community has not produced a President who has stayed in power long enough despite their being the largest tribe in Uganda. But the moment he became President, it would be his biggest undoing. His tribe will look at him as the best placed person to help them get their Federo and help them solve all their grievances, reminding him that he rode on their backs to the top.
At this, the man from Kakiri would be torn between being a Muganda and a Ugandan. Similarly, his continuous reminder that Catholics are soon getting bigger things goes contrary to the same Movement principles of doing away with partisan politics, to which he subscribes.
Close confidants would also argue that the No. Two man has not garnered enough political experience to be given an opportunity to run the country. The VP has equally been embroiled in a number of controversies and it is hard to imagine how he has stayed in that office for this long.
Recently, his name has surfaced in all sorts of unbecoming conduct ranging from accusations that he never declared all his properties to the Inspector General of Government (IGG), accusation of being part of those that benefited from the National Social Security Fund properties, the Mafia saga, accused of being quoted “out of context†every time.
His tenure at the medical school was also riddled with controversy. In 2001 an IGG report recommended that Bukenya be prosecuted for interfering with a fraud case in which his name was mentioned.
The IGG report followed investigation into corruption and abuse of office by Makerere University officials in 1996 when Bukenya was the dean of the Medical School. His accountability for sh115m was rejected by the University administration due to absence of supporting documents. He was asked to return the whole amount of money, which he did.
Despite his position in Government, Bukenya is not seen as an insider in the Movement system. The more radical Movementist would say that he did not fight in the bush, only coming on to the political scene in the mid-90s. His close links with the late James Wapakhabulo is what made him embrace the modern day Movement.
But one virtue which makes him stand out is that he is a smooth mediator. This could have been one of the key factors in his appointment.
He is one of the most respected scholars alongside the Prime Minister, Prof. Apolo Nsibambi. While head of the Movement caucus in Parliament, he was able to keep the Movement members together while maintaining a sound relationship with multipartists. He is among the moderate Movementists who supported the opening up of the political space and was part of the Government delegation on Federo talks.
His campaigns to eradicate poverty by the introduction of the upland rice scheme, though initially restricted to his constituency, has now taken a national outlook as he has been to various districts promoting its growth.
He has been very instrumental in the establishment of low-cost housing for low-income earners. The project has picked up in his Busiro constituency and there are attempts to extend it nationwide. Bukenya has currently embarked on the promotion of lemon oil production.
One thing that remains clear is that Bukenya remains one of the top contenders for the post of NRM party candidates for the 2006 presidency.
Ends