KAMPALA – A political fever is currently sweeping over government after it emerged that President Museveni is considering sacking several ministers for not doing enough to defend government programmes amid the growing popularity of Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine.
This website has obtained information that the President is increasingly concerned over the negative publicity caused to his government in the wake of growing criticism from Bobi Wine and other opposition leaders such as Dr Kizza Besigye.
However, Mr Museveni is not happy that his ministers are not doing enough to counter this opposition rhetoric. Sources close to State House have intimated to this website that the President is already scrutinizing his Cabinet with a view to kicking out those deemed unfit to march the current times.
On April 29, the President, while chairing a Cabinet at State House Entebbe, is said to have accused the ministers of looking as the Kyadondo East MP spreads what he called lies to the country.
According to sources, the President wondered why the ministers had allowed an “ambitious young man” to move around freely attacking him. He asked of what importance they have been to him “since this young boy became MP and later showed a keen interest in running for president.”
A minister, who attended the meeting but requested anonymity, saying he is not the government spokesperson, said the entire meeting fell silent as an angry Museveni “ranted” for nearly an hour on how Bobi Wine and other opposition members should not be allowed to move around the country “spreading their lies”.
At this moment, Government Chief Whip Ruth Nankabirwa is said to have told him that the minister for Information and ICT Frank Tumwebaze is ever on TV speaking for government.
“That is not enough, the entire government should be involved, it should not be one individual doing this,” Mr Museveni reportedly said.
The meeting came on the backdrop of the Supreme Court ruling that upheld the Constitutional court ruling which had removed age limits for presidential candidates from the Constitution.
The President expressed concern that judges get abused when they rule against the opposition, but get widely praised when they adjudicate cases in the favour of the opposition.
Mr Museveni is said to have told the ministers that he could go a countrywide tour to explain the achievements of his government.
Sources said his statement, which he released on Sunday on holding of processions and how they should be regulated was in connection with last week’s Cabinet meeting.
In the statement posted at the weekend on his social media platforms, Mr Museveni accused opposition leaders of holding processions intended to destroy property. “If you want to hold a public meeting (olukungana) or a procession (ekivulu) for a legitimate reason, you should liaise with the Police, so that your public meeting or your procession does not endanger the lives of other Ugandans or the safety of their property. You agree with the Police on the route…The problem we have with some elements of the opposition is that they ignore this. They want to hold meetings or processions near markets or through crowded streets. This one we cannot allow,” he said
“If it is to preach hate, to decampaign investments in Uganda etc., then we shall not allow you. Those who have ignored this logic have paid a heavy price,” he added.
Sources in State House said the President is increasingly getting worried about Bobi Wine and the People Power wave that is spreading across the country, wooing youth.
The minister, who preferred anonymity, said he had never seen Museveni very concerned about Bobi Wine like in that meeting. “We may lose our jobs over Bobi Wine,” he added.
