Mbabazi is a snake, good he is out - Ali Adjumani. Second Deputy Prime Minister Moses Ali has congratulated himself on surviving last week’s solo Cabinet reshuffle and praised President Museveni for throwing out “the snake” which had started disturbing the ruling NRM party. On September 18, President Museveni sacked Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi, leaving the rest of the Cabinet intact. The President also announced the appointment of Dr Ruhakana Rugunda as Mr Mbabazi’s replacement, which he said would take immediate effect. Addressing hundreds of people during celebrations to mark the International Peace Day at Dzaipi Primary School playground in Adjumani early this week, Gen Ali said: “I want to thank myself for surviving the recent reshuffle. I am still around. We have been burning plastic materials to chase away the snake which is finally out,” Gen Ali said in a veiled reference to Mr Mbabazi, who was the only member dropped from Cabinet last week. Gen Ali added that the Kankwanzi resolution, which endorsed President Museveni as the NRM’s sole candidate for the 2016 presidential elections, was also meant to chase away a “snake” which had hidden within the ruling party. Simplifying language When asked yesterday why he was referring to his colleague as a “snake”, Gen Ali broke into laughter and mused that the remarks “were for local consumption”. That is how our local people understand these things. You know when there is a snake in the house, they burn rubber and smoke it out. Expanding the issue on a national stage will cause problems for nothing,” Gen Ali said. Mr Musa Ecweru, the Minister of State for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, who was present at the International Peace Day celebrations, also said he was happy and relieved that he retained his job in last week’s mini reshuffle. He also congratulated his colleague Gen Ali for retaining his post. On Thursday, military police commanded by Chief of Staff for Land Forces Leo Kyanda stormed Mr Mbabazi’s home in Kololo and withdrew his military guards, who were replaced with police officers. Mr Mbabazi could not be reached for a comment. The Kyankwanzi resolution During a retreat at the National Leadership Institute Kyankwanzi in February this year, MPs belonging to the ruling NRM party passed a resolution that Museveni would be the party’s only flag bearer in 2016. The resolution was meant to check the then Prime Minister Mbabazi’s perceived presidential ambitions in 2016. Later on May 29, while addressing NRM youth leaders in the eastern region comprising Bugisu, Bukedi, Sebei, Busoga,Teso and Karamoja areas, Mr Museveni said of the Kyankwanzi resolution: “If I am wanted, we shall have an answer to that at the right time, because there is the question of being offside. I welcomed the Kyankwanzi resolution in the context of party cohesion because there were rumours that there were `wanters’..and wanters in a bad way. If you want in a bad way, you are forced to tell lies,” he said, responding to the youth who urged him to continue leading the country in light of the Kyankwanzi endorsement. Although Mbabazi later denied harbouring presidential ambitions, the speculation in high political and government circles about his bid have refused to go away. Several youth groups from mainly the NRM have been openly declaring their support for his candidature.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Sep 2014 10:41:31 +0000
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