Ms. Juliette Gaswagga, a blogger less known to me has written a piece now circulating widely on social media and provoking emotions. Well as the authenticity of both the author and the content is not established, Gaswagga’s article has generated serious debate on radios and online platforms.
Gaswagga’s article, Busoga Premier and Executive Director of the National Planning authority (NPA), openly Campaigned for Mr. Ivan Tibenkana the Democratic Party Candidate for Jinja City Mayor and warns the electorate against the Campaigns by NRM Party Secretary General Kasule Lumumba and a popular business man Ahmed Osman who incidentally is Muvawala’s Deputy Premier
The unfortunate remarks raise serious questions as portrayed in the petition by the Busoga NRM youths. I reproduce the issues in the petition as here under;
By openly supporting a DP Candidate in Jinja Mayoral race, the Premier is acting partisan, divisive, undermining government and NRM Party’s bid for the 2021 victory and therefore violating the known decorum for a civil servant and a cultural leader as is the case for Dr. Muvawala. His statements are construed to be the position of the Kyabazinga His Majesty William Wilberforce Gabula Nadiope IV since the known practice here is that the Katukiro (Premier) speaks for the King.
The attack on Justine Kasule Lumumba by bias of her gender is no mean statement. If Dr. Muvawala warns that a “mere woman” shouldn’t decide for the people, Dr. Muvawala is undermining the woman emancipation cause and promoting the male chauvinist sentiments that are a shame for man of his caliber.
Dr. Muvawala a known confidant of the speaker Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga but his attack on NRM flag bearers and leaders undermines the speaker’s efforts since Kadaga in the 1st National Vice Chairperson of the NRM and therefore a member of the Party’s CEC
Besides, it is a critical political season where Lumumba is leading a nationwide Campaign for the NRM victory. Statements that undermine her ability coming from her own Premier greatly impact on the NRM chances, ideally Busoga should have rallied behind their own and helped her to deliver. Dr. Muvawala isn’t a cheap negligible citizen whose remarks can easily be ignored. He wields a lot of influence as a cultural leader, a civil servant and an academic of repute. His reference to his deputy as a “Somali” who shouldn’t decide for the Basoga invokes tribal and sectarian emotions that shouldn’t be taken lightly. It also points at a poor leadership style and exposes the internal rift between Dr. Muvawala and his Deputy but also explains the performance gaps at the Bugembe establishment.
But Dr. Muvawala ha s a right to choice, a right to campaign and solicit support for a Candidate of his choice provided he; seeks relief from his cultural and civil service office to campaign freely. He can still ask the Kyabazinga to set him free so he meets his “Somali” counterpart and the “mere woman” in the field and tussles them out. Until this is done, councilor Mbazira, the District representative for Walukuba has warned that “the Katukiro is provoking us to act in defense of our Party but such moves may hurt his job at National Planning Authority and Bugembe”. Dr. Muvawala is not new to such controversy. His administration is embroiled in a fist fight for land now sitting Bugembe Cathedral the headquarters of the Anglican Church in Busoga.
What could be the problem between Dr. Muvawala and his daughter of the soil and NRM SG Justine Kasule Lumumba?
Is it the popular PHD (Pull him down) syndrome that the Basoga are much famed for? All is not well.