Uganda's Museveni ditches former ally PM Mbabazi in power struggle
Fri Sep 19, 2014 10:22am GMT
* Former PM Mbabazi seen as possible Museveni successor
* President has been at helm since January 1986
* Museveni daring Mbabazi to openly declare his rivalry-analyst (Adds
analysts, government spokesman comment)
By Elias Biryabarema
KAMPALA, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has replaced
his prime minister, the government said in a statement on Friday, removing a
former ally some analysts had seen as a potential contender for the top job.
Amama Mbabazi, a lawyer, had enjoyed a close relationship with Uganda's
veteran leader but ties between the two became strained recently, with
Museveni accusing Mbabazi of taking decisions in the ruling party without
consulting him.
Museveni named and Health Minister Ruhakana Rugunda to replace Mbabazi, the
statement said, appointing a politician who is one of the longest-serving
ministers under Museveni and viewed as a loyal supporter of the president.
Mbabazi had not said if he wanted to run in the 2016 presidential race, when
Museveni is widely expected to seek to extend his 28-year rule. The
president, one of Africa's longest serving leaders, has also not stated his
intentions.
But a power struggle had emerged in recent years between Museveni and
Mbabazi, who also holds the post of secretary-general of the ruling National
Resistance Movement. He was widely viewed as a "king-maker" in Museveni's
administration.
"He is testing Mbabazi," said Nicholas Opio, a rights lawyer and analyst.
"Will he remain loyal and accept a humble position of a mere secretary
general or is he now going to openly declare his presidential ambitions so
that he can be confronted as an opponent?"
Museveni has swept previous votes, but opponents have previously criticised
the conduct of the polls.
Lawmakers from the National Resistance Movement passed a resolution in
February saying the president should remain the party's sole presidential
candidate, a move analysts said it appeared in part aimed at blocking any
bid by Mbabazi.
Mbabazi did not comment on his plans but his wife, Jacqueline Mbabazi, also
a senior figure in the party, had criticized the resolution, saying it was
illegal since the legislators had no powers to impose a candidate on the
party.
She told Uganda's Daily Monitor newspaper that it "exposed fascist
tendencies" in the party and "what is obvious is that Hon. Mbabazi is a
target of orchestrated cliques and groups."
Uganda's government spokesman Ofwono Opondo said Mbabazi might have been
removed from his post for political reasons.
"Way back in 2011 at the time of appointing Amama Mbabazi it was agreed...
that once he's confirmed as prime minister he would relinquish the job of
secretary general. Since that time, he has been taking us in circles, so
that must have informed the decision to drop him," Opondo told Reuters.
(Writing by James Macharia; Editing by Edmund Blair and Tom Heneghan)