Observer
President angry after Deputy Speaker quarrels with Information Minister as he watches spectacle
A burst-up between the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga and Information Minister, Kabakumba Matsiko, during NRMs Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting prompted President Museveni to lecture his partys top officials about the need for harmony for about an hour.
The meeting at State House Nakasero on Monday, June 22, had been called to harmonise positions on proposed changes to the NRM Constitution which were presented to the 500-member National Executive Committee (NEC) the following day. Kadaga, NRMs Second Vice Chairperson, started the drama when she informed Museveni that students at various universities had formed a pressure group, the Uganda University and Tertiary Institutions Movement Supporters Association and wanted to meet him.
But Kabakumba who headed a desk for institutions during the 2006 election campaign, which she has since controversially turned into a party structure, lambasted Kadaga for promoting what she called a non-existing organ yet the party has a structure to cater for universities. When will this duplicity of work stop? We have an institutions league which I chair and now you are talking about a new association. Who are these people?
Museveni, who listened attentively, occasionally nodding his head and rolling his eyes as the partys top leadership exchanged hot words, finally took the floor to teach unity and management of conflicts.
Are these quarrels about ego or ideology? he asked.
He said that he would speak about unity and ideology since the meeting had degenerated into a shouting match and took the 20-member party organ through his history of managing conflicts.
He said that he and Nyerere had differences but he managed them for the common good.
On South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe and Mozambique we agreed with Nyerere. We only differed on Uganda. Some people here misinformed him about Uganda, Museveni said.
He told the meeting that some of our people in the bush asked me to denounce Nyerere.
While he didnt elaborate on what his differences with Nyerere were all about, Museveni is understood to have been uncomfortable with Nyereres unquestioning support of former President Milton Obote.
These cliques, cliques, cliques, are they about ego or ideological difference? he asked again.
Museveni said ideologically he supports the East African Federation. The only people he considers his political enemies are those spreading sectarianism, which undermines East African unity. You are forgetting the big enemy who is Kony.
President angry after Deputy Speaker quarrels with Information Minister as he watches spectacle
A burst-up between the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga and Information Minister, Kabakumba Matsiko, during NRMs Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting prompted President Museveni to lecture his partys top officials about the need for harmony for about an hour.
The meeting at State House Nakasero on Monday, June 22, had been called to harmonise positions on proposed changes to the NRM Constitution which were presented to the 500-member National Executive Committee (NEC) the following day. Kadaga, NRMs Second Vice Chairperson, started the drama when she informed Museveni that students at various universities had formed a pressure group, the Uganda University and Tertiary Institutions Movement Supporters Association and wanted to meet him.
But Kabakumba who headed a desk for institutions during the 2006 election campaign, which she has since controversially turned into a party structure, lambasted Kadaga for promoting what she called a non-existing organ yet the party has a structure to cater for universities. When will this duplicity of work stop? We have an institutions league which I chair and now you are talking about a new association. Who are these people?
Museveni, who listened attentively, occasionally nodding his head and rolling his eyes as the partys top leadership exchanged hot words, finally took the floor to teach unity and management of conflicts.
Are these quarrels about ego or ideology? he asked.
He said that he would speak about unity and ideology since the meeting had degenerated into a shouting match and took the 20-member party organ through his history of managing conflicts.
He said that he and Nyerere had differences but he managed them for the common good.
On South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe and Mozambique we agreed with Nyerere. We only differed on Uganda. Some people here misinformed him about Uganda, Museveni said.
He told the meeting that some of our people in the bush asked me to denounce Nyerere.
While he didnt elaborate on what his differences with Nyerere were all about, Museveni is understood to have been uncomfortable with Nyereres unquestioning support of former President Milton Obote.
These cliques, cliques, cliques, are they about ego or ideological difference? he asked again.
Museveni said ideologically he supports the East African Federation. The only people he considers his political enemies are those spreading sectarianism, which undermines East African unity. You are forgetting the big enemy who is Kony.
