Rodney Muhumuza
8 September 2008
Kampala — Security Minister Amama Mbabazi said last week that the "rock" in him would emerge from the controversy of his land sale to the National Social Security Fund with an intact reputation.
The strength of the rock will be tested when the NRM's executive meets tomorrow and, as expected, discusses the matter that has evolved from a simple business transaction to a political inquest that has left one of the most powerful men in the party and the country fighting for his political life.
Mr Mbabazi told NTV last week that the fallout from the deal - which Parliament is investigating for price inflation, abuse of procurement laws and allegations of political influence-peddling - was the result of efforts by political enemies he did not name.
"Well, I think a concerted effort has been made to make me look bad. A ferocious attempt has been made," Mr Mbabazi told NTV's Simon Kasyate in a recorded interview aired on Thursday. "But you see, when you are hitting a rock, especially if you are hitting it with weak weapons, it's the weapons that break and the rock remains intact. So I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that this thing is not going to taint my image in any way."
Tomorrow's meeting of NRM's Central Executive Committee at State House Entebbe will offer President Museveni his first opportunity to speak out openly on a matter that has cast senior members of the ruling party in antagonistic roles.
Sunday Monitor reported yesterday that nearly a week before Mr Mbabazi defended himself before the NRM caucus, Mr Museveni warned his ministers against corruption, even though he did not cite the NSSF scandal. "If you engage in corruption, I will not protect you but rather the law will deal with you," the President reportedly told his ministers. "Those fighting for seniority and positions, I don't care. But for you to [be involved] in corruption, I will not protect you."
Mr Mbabazi blames the furore on "political vultures" but he was unable to rally the NRM caucus fully behind him when he met the ruling party MPs last Monday, and will hope he can find a more favourable audience within the party's executive committee.
Former health minister and Rujumbura MP Jim Muhwezi, himself a subject of a corruption trial, represents veterans on the committee and last week criticised Mr Mbabazi's conduct in the matter and called upon the President to intervene.
Another member of the committee, Mike Mukula, who chairs the party's branch in eastern Uganda, recently criticised both Museveni and Mbabazi for the way they run the party.
A senior cabinet minister who spoke to Daily Monitor yesterday on condition of anonymity citing the sensitivity of the matter, said the party was "waiting with bated breath" to see what course of action President Museveni will take considering that the matter "involves one of his most loyal servants".
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