As the controversial political analyst Joseph Tamale Mirundi goes ahead to claim that Kasese Woman Member of Parliament was forced to retire from active politics because of the humiliation she suffered under Dr Kizza Besigye’s invisible hand, a credible information reaching one of the local online news websites, Mulengeranews.com indicates that President Museveni has offered to support or at minimum not fight Winnie Kiiza should she offer herself to run for EALA MP slot after the 2021 general elections on the ticket of ANT.
“He is happy Winnie Kiiza has finally eased out of Kasese politics and he is ready to participate in enabling her to eat her cake and keep it at the same time,” says a knowledgeable source.
The source explains that Gen Museveni has will not fight Winnie Kiiza and will direct NRM MPs to elect her as a friendly independent just like he has twice done for Susan Nakawuki.
“That way you eat your cake and keep it at the same time because being EALA MP gives you an excuse to be invisible in the local political confrontations between NRM and opposition. You earn very good money for another 10 years which actually is much more than what you earn by being MP in the Ugandan parliament. Yet at the same time your voters won’t see you as a traitor,” the source adds.
Mulengeranews.com website goes ahead to explain that as recalled Gen Museveni has twice cajoled his NRM MPs to elect opposition politicians he considers not hostile to him for jobs in EALA.
Besides Nakawuki, Mukasa Mbidde of DP and UPC’s ailing Chris Opoka have twice been elected to EALA not because their parties had the numeric strength in Parliament but simply because Gen Museveni acquiesced to their victory. While justifying Mukasa Mbidde’s reelection to Arusha (where each MP earns Shs50m per month), Gen Museveni famously told his NRM adherents to accept him because “he is a good DP.” And gratefully for Winnie Kiiza, Susan Nakawuki (the only independent at Arusha) isn’t eligible for EALA reelection because there are strictly enforced term limit restrictions preventing bouncing back after two terms (each of 5 years).
This leaves Gen Museveni with adequate leverage to consider someone else for that position of the independent’s rep at Arusha because with NRM continuing to have majority in Parliament, there is no way anyone can grab that seat without the endorsement of the powerful man from Rwakitura. In fact Nkawuki (formerly of FDC) is already campaigning to carry the ruling NRM flag to become the new MP for Mawokota South in Mpigi district where the incumbent is JB Lubyayi. Dependable State House sources are now saying that in the alternative, in case EALA doesn’t prove good enough, Gen Museveni is being lobbied to consider making Kiiza an ex-officio Minister (without being MP) just like it has been the case for Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng of health. “He considers her to be someone he can do business with in the post-2021 era because she isn’t very belligerent towards him when compared to radicals like Semujju Nganda or even Ingrid Turinawe,” says the source adding that in case that doesn’t happen, there is a possibility Gen Museveni can permit Winnie Kiiza to become CEO for any of the most lucrative state parastatals. “She has played her cards very wisely because by opting out of the Kasese race, Kiiza has shielded herself against FDC militants in Kasese who were waiting to pounce and have her humiliated in the ballot box.” KATUNTU CHANCES
In a related development, the same State House sources says that equally eligible for an EALA gig is long-serving Bugweri County MP Abdul Katuntu. Sources say that Katuntu, who has famously been contradicting militants like Dr. Kizza Besigye ostensibly for the benefit of Gen Museveni, initially expected to be appointed Deputy Attorney General replacing Mwesigwa Rukutana but the President disappointed him by giving the same to Jackson Kafuzi (an earlier defector from FDC). There were also efforts to get him a judiciary job, something to which the JSC objected.
And then came the anticipation that the man from Bugweri can potentially replace Irene Mulyagonja as the IGG for Uganda. That is still a possibility and Katuntu, who has the active support of Kadaga who initially objected to the Kafuzi appointment, hasn’t lost hope. Reliable sources say even if he loses in Bugweri, there is extreme hope, Gen Museveni will (at the prompting of Kadaga) still find something for him and EALA remains a very big possibility given his seniority and potential to earn very good money there. Gen Museveni, who one time dismissed Katuntu as a very poisonous mushroom while urging Bugweri voters not to elect him, is renowned for giving repentant foes which Katuntu has largely been perceived to be.
As for Winnie Kiiza, sources say, the only big hurdle standing in her way is the fact that Gen Museveni has extreme resentment for her husband Yokasi Bihande who at some point hated the NRM to the extent of considering fighting it using arms to protest it’s perceived ill will towards the Rwenzururu cultural institution and historical grievances of the people in that sub region. “In his youth, Bihande was an active hater of President Museveni and his NRM and the HE knows all the militant plans he once harbored against the NRM. This is the only reservation there can be about Winnie Kiiza who is the wife to the same Bihande who has never repented his sins to the HE,” says a State House source in a bid to explain the only reservation Gen Museveni can potentially have about acquiescing to Winnie Kiiza’s eating things at EALA.
Appearing on Impact FM on Friday, the former presidential press secretary said that in spite of the fact that Winnie fought for her party, the moment she started opposing some of Besigye’s ideas , the legislator was humiliated by her fellow party members.
“Kiiza broke the ice and showed us that women can lead a struggle in Parliament and her tenure is far better than of this one who is present. She was very vibrant but because she used to challenge some of Besigye’s ideas of defiance, they decided to humiliate her by replacing her with the opposite person. In fact, Aol can only fit to be a headteacher but not a leader of Opposition,” he said.
Mirundi added “Replacing Winnie Kiiza with Betty Aol is like moving from a wedding and go to a funeral. another fact is Kiiza’s attendance at Gen Muntu’s party declaration pained Besigye too much, therefore she had to suffer the invisible force, however, I credit her and she has emerged as a winner and role model.”
On Tuesday, Kiiza announced that she will not be running for Kasese Woman MP seat in the forthcoming elections. By retiring from elective politics, Kiiza scored much higher since she has been praised for setting an example for many other politicians who have made politics a life time career.
“The only way I can feel successful is by participating in the election of my successor. I want to give a chance for another lady to come up. I have talked so many times about overstaying in power I will not be different if I sought office this time round,” she said.
