Friday 1 April 2011

How Museveni's family rule is taking shape

You might probably suspect that President Yoweri Museveni runs Uganda likes his personal farm which, he can, by will, pass onto any of his children as heir.
But those who ardently support him say his critics were the ones drawing such farfwetched conclusions. However, going by the recent elections, one can see the footprints of a man who intends to pass on Uganda to a member of his family and most probably the son Col. Muhoozi Kainerugaba [He is a quiet man by his nature].
This is how the plan works. President Museveni continues to be President at all costs, including of course rigging elections.
As this goes on, members of his family are slowly introduced in politics. Already, Muhoozi is militarily entrenched. He is also spreading his political influence through networks of youth. Muhoozi also funds some MPs to get into parlaiment. This is to create for him a political base such that when he finally announces his crossing to politics, he would already be running a network.
Other children especially the sons-in law, are already active in politics but are very discreet that they do not want to attract media attention now. Actually, while a lot of money was recently spent in campaigns, this money was firmly in the control of the sons-in law mostly Ephraim Kamuntu and Odrek Rwabwogo.
Anyone who needed cash, had to be in the good books of either Museveni or any of his family members.
As they traversed the country distributing cash for votes, the sons also built a network parallel from the official NRM party structures [ They faced stiff resistance from voters in some areas where they visited. Fo instance, in Kanyumu village in Kumi District, Kamuntu had to call security to rescue him after voters asked him not to attack their MP Patrick Amuriat; they also asked him to leave money with them because they knew he had money].
Anyway, this parallel network they are creating, is meant to serve the interests of the family rule.
This how they intend to achieve it. Aware that the country is run on a cash economy meaning that without hard cash no one finds life easy,  Museveni's family has consolidated its grip on the money. They have also realised that social services must be provided in bits so that people continue relying on money to get services.
This clientele type of manangement, according to Museveni's model adopted from  South Korea and China, is intended to keep people reliant on the government which in Uganda's case is Museveni and his family.
To create a class of few rich people heavily linked to the First Family is the ultimate aim.
To achieve that, Museveni is seriously pushing for the lowering of the retirement age to 55. But because that one is facing resistance, Museveni has ordered the Prime Minister to write a circular asking all senior civil servants to be put on 6 month contracts. Covered in this is to force the civil service to deliver but the political mission is to get rid of some civil servants to create jobs for young cadres who will help propagate the family rule.
And civil servants who have already made their money are going to be placed on servaillance in case they use the money to support Opposition activities.
Museveni also hopes to use oil money to distribute wealth to the network that will  help him achieve his family rule. Therefore, Ugandans are going to face hard life even with oil money flowing.
The only worry for Museveni is that new appraoch the West has adopted in fighting African dictators. My sources say the big man is actually worried that the Americans could destroy his dreams.
To try to please Americans, he is willing to do anything  for them so that they pay a deaf ear to Ugandan Opposition. Meanwhile, he is also thinking about putting a weakling as Uganda's President after him such that his son takes over later to give it legimimacy that the son got it like any other person.
Its the choice of whom to handover power ton later give to his son that is giving Museveni sleepless nights.
My sources say that increasingly, he has few people to trust in his party. Therefore, things to watch are the people he appoints to his Cabinet. Pundits say the more weaklings he gives juicy jobs, the more clear his succession plans will be.

1 comment:

  1. as usual you are way off the mark! much as i defend your right to speak your mind, i find it morally reprehensible to spread Wolokoso!
    whatever his weaknesses, i can't believe the president is pre-occupied with succession. what will he gain from that? As Odonga Otto put it today's paper (and i liked that comment), "however much money you make, you can not eat a lorry of matooke". live and let live.

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