Uganda’s Chief of Defense Forces (CDF), General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has ordered all ministers intending to travel abroad on duty to report to him before their trips. This comes in the wake of the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in Charge of Regional Affairs, Mr. Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo’s trip to Turkey.
Kasolo traveled to Turkey without the authorization of the CDF. Previously, ministers intending to travel abroad had to first of all to report to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
Kasolo acquiesced to Muhoozi’s order. “I shall in future report to Cen. Kainerugaba in the event that I have to travel for official duties,” he said. All the other ministers intending to travel are expected to follow Kasolo’s example.
In an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), the Uganda Political and Security Analyst, Mr. Angelo Izama, said that power appears to be devolving to Muhoozi, the president’s son. He said that with Muhoozi’s Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), taking the brunt of fighting corruption countrywide, the administrative order is being heightened to the CDF.
Izama was commenting on this highlighting the on-going “complex transition of political power and military influence within Uganda.” Izama noted the “shift of the Special Forces Command [SFC] under Muhoozi, has evolved from a ceremonial unit to a vital strategic force.” He was looking at the growing national debate over succession, of the General as the son of the President.
In the fight against corruption Muhoozi’s PLUhas been visible in political organizing. The present tour of the districts by the Minister of Local Government, Mr. Balaam Barugahara, has indicated this. Barugahara is one of the members of the PLU executive committee.
In his tour of the Eastern districts in Busoga, Sebei and Mbale regions, Barugahara has made the Local Government officials “quake” in response to their dealings in the district matters. In the Namutumba District in Busoga, a number of officers have abandoned their offices to “hide” from the Minster to “avoid” his queries on their performance. The officials are even not answering their phones anymore. In the Sebei region, Barugahara dismissed the Chief Administrative Officer, of CAO, over his handling of contracts to repair the district buildings.
In the BBC interview, Izama noted that with the young population of the country at 75%, the accent is on getting the people to note the effectiveness of the administrative players on giving services to the community.
Barugahara’s continuing tour of the country is highlighting the PLU’s involvement in the politics of the country even before it has been tested in elective politics. His activity is being seen as showing the effectiveness of the President’s recent appointments in the new Cabinet.
