Jacqueline protests against the presence of journalists at her home
The fall-out between President Museveni and his erstwhile Prime Minister took a dramatic turn yesterday as soldiers raided Amama Mbabazi’s home to disarm his guards.M nd as Brigadier Leo Kyanda, the chief of staff of the Land Forces commanded the raid in Kololo, at the nearby Kati Kati restaurant along Lugogo Bypass,supporters of President Museveni were putting final touches on a grand welcome for their man at Entebbe airport tomorrow morning.
President Museveni has spent the last one week in the United States, where he attended Wednesday’s UN General Assembly session chaired by its new president Sam Kutesa. A regular traveler, Museveni is often seen off by some cabinet members and security chiefs but rarely treated to a hero’s welcome. A ‘grand’ welcome is therefore believed to be aimed at thanking Museveni for sacking Mbabazi and expressing support for the president in the face of an anticipated challenge from his former confidante.
Sources said arrangements for the welcome party involved, among others, Richard Todwong, the minister Without Portfolio in charge of Mobilisation, and Singh Katongole, the deputy treasurer of the ruling NRM. Todwong confirmed yesterday that he was organising Museveni’s homecoming party. He however, denied that the welcome party has anything to do with the sacking of Mbabazi.
“We are just thanking the president for installing Sam Kutesa as president of the UN general assembly and for the many other great things he has done for this country,” Todwong said. Asked about the timing, he said it was purely coincidental. Todwong said organisers expected thousands of supporters, a “sea of yellow” to throng Entebbe road. Other sources, however, told The Observer that organisers of Museveni’s homecoming rally want to counter the pro-Mbabazi forces that have upped their activities in the wake of his sacking. Since Mbabazi was sacked last Friday, he has received messages of support from a group of youths codenamed John Patrick Amama Mbabazi Youth Network (JPAM).
The group, led by Adam Luzindana, the NRM youth league chairperson for Kampala, recently created a WhatsApp page, where they share ideas on how to popularise Mbabazi’s anticipated presidential bid. Yesterday, Luzindana posted on the page: “change is coming. Museveni will never be president of Uganda after 2016…He has no popular support. He only has the support of people like Gen Kayihura.” FULL STORY
