Is this how Muhoozi fell before even taking the presidency?

General Muhoozi Kainerugaba

Finally, we can say, without fear of contradiction, that Museveni’s son, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba is now running things in Kampala.

Even the blind can see: refer to the overthrow of then powerful speaker, Anita Annet Among, or the safe page to her deputy, Thomas Tayebwa, who got to keep his position. For good measure, throw in the endorsement of current speaker, Jacob M. Oboth-Oboth, and more recently, the abduction of former Lord Mayor, and Dr Kizza Besigye’s lawyer, Erias Lukwago.

It appears his father, Yoweri Museveni, and uncle, Gen. Salim Saleh, have – with some slight reservations admitted Muhoozi’s capture of the running of the state’s affairs after he bullied them to the side. The elderly siblings seem to be procrastinating over the leadership transition decision, something that General Muhoozi appears to have taken matters into his own hands.

And because of this ambivalence, we are seeing Muhoozi exhibiting almost presidential powers. (Of course, Museveni would not endorse some of his son’s actions and bravado, but he finds himself in a tight spot).

But the abduction of lawyer Erias Lukwago shocked the world. We surely know Museveni has lost grip on things, but no one knew exactly how his son planned to ascend to the throne. No one knows how much power he’s willing to exhibit – he is a loquacious typist and exhibitionist – to claim his place in the country as the main man.

Ironically, instead of taking out steam on the people delaying his ascendancy to the throne, he is wasting energy on folks with very little power in this game. Sadly, this process has only dirtied his image.

Does Muhoozi know that Erias Lukwago can neither stop nor give him the presidency? Only his father can. Had I been him (definitely, I’m not him), I would focus on Nakasero, Gulu and Entebbe – not some dingy neighbourhoods in Lugunja or Kira. Of course, he might have his eyes on Nakasero- Entebbe as well.

But what Muhoozi has forgotten is that even when his father ascended to the throne under the auspices of M16, Israel and American intelligence, in the eyes of the people he was a darling. The people never saw M16 or CIA, but a freedom fighter.

His affront was on those who, in the eyes of the people, had abused power. Too bad for Muhoozi that instead of seeking alliance with people who appear in the eyes of the people as their revolutionaries (such as Erias Lukwago, Ssemujju Ibrahim Nganda, Medard Ssegona, Joel Ssenyonyi), he has decided to threaten them endlessly.

Raw power alone can never enable one to ascend to power. Muhoozi and co., need to know that Lukwago, Ssemujju, Ssegona might have lost the parliamentary elections, but these people generally remain darlings to fairly big constituencies in the country.

These are some of Kampala’s leading public intellectuals – especially on legal and media matters – whose fame does not come from their political work, but rather excellence in their professions, which include daily interaction with the public.

**ALIENATING HIS OWN BASE **

If only he knew, Muhoozi would be careful about foreign powers and Uganda – especially Kenya, Rwanda and the United States. In endlessly throwing threats at them – albeit jokingly – he has made himself a top security item for their agencies.

Especially that he often follows through with his threats, surely agencies are watching every step he takes. That bromance with Rwandan president, the other uncle, PK, does not help him at all. If the US came after him, Rwanda would choose not to get involved.

Had he known any better, he would understand that leaders in Kampala are often placements of foreign powers. That we call our leaders “colonial caretakers” is not a joke. It is the truth. This is his old man.

While the strong hand of International and regional actors in enthroning Yoweri Museveni is not public knowledge, but as a family member, he should have been told how important foreign powers were in that moment, and still can be.

But if messing with foreign powers is a small threat, consider that Muhoozi has done enough to dampen the spirits of his supposedly civilian intellectuals. It is not just the local population that Lukwago, Ssenyonyi and Ssemujju represent, but his own PLU base.

I do not know how many times I restarted the X app to see whether Andrew Mwenda, Allan Kasujja, minister Kiryowa Kiwanuka, or businesswoman, Jackie Arinda had said anything on the Lukwago abduction. These are perhaps the most eloquent PLU advocates. They were generally mute.

Many NRM and PLU spokespeople and volunteer cadres love the façade of rule of law existing in Uganda. They love the idea that they are able to throw around words such as elections, courts, and constitutionalism to win arguments.

Because power is hidden from public view. But if these things are so blatantly and braggingly thrown out of the window, they are rendered vulnerable. That one of Kampala’s most seasoned advocates would be abducted by the national army for simply seeking to serve a soldier – he does not have immunity – with summonses to court renders Mwenda, Ofwono Opondo, Emmanuel Dombo, Kiwanuka, Kasujja and all of them speechless.

They may not publicly condemn the act, but they are staring at a man whom they love and work for, but one who is surely taking them nowhere.

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The author is a political theorist based at Makerere University.

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