The head of State House’s Anti-Corruption Unit, Lt Col Edith Nakalema, has praised Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the First Son, raising eyebrows as more top government officials continue paying allegiance to President Yoweri Museveni’s advisor on Special Operations.
Lt Col Nakalema’s description of Lt Gen Kainerugaba as “our senior leader and mentor” raised more questions, including whether she was among the officials that were working behind the scenes to boost the first son’s chances of succeeding his father as had been alleged by former spymaster Gen David Sejusa in his famous ‘Muhoozi Project’ revelation in 2013.
Although Muhoozi has previously denied the existence of the Muhoozi Project – what Sejusa described as a plot to eliminate senior military and political officials opposed to an alleged plan to have the first son succeed his father – he recently said the rumoured project had turned into a blessing. In early March, Muhoozi wrote: “Some evil people coined this phrase to try and destroy us. But trust my generation to convert every curse into a blessing! Thank you, Ugandans!”
While it is understandable that Nakalema, 42, who served under the first son, now aged 46, while he commanded the Special Forces Command (SFC), should hold her former boss in high esteem, some people read much more into her birthday wish to the son of Museveni.
“Happy Birthday to our senior leader and mentor Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba. May God’s goodness and mercy follow you all the days of your life,” wrote Nakalema.
Currently, Nakalema through the State House Anti Corruption Unit, is responsible for weeding out all corrupt government officials in the country.
“I decided to reinforce the IGG’s Office. The institutions to fight corruption are there but the people manning them are the problem. These departments have been infiltrated by weevils,” the President told hundreds of people who gathered at the Kololo Independence grounds for the Anti-corruption Day celebrations.
“There was a missing link. I needed an office headed by a fearless, upright, a bit quarrelsome, a bit talkative person. To think Nakalema can conceal a wrong, that is very impossible,” President Museveni said in 2018 while launching the unit.
While critics were still trying to read between the lines, a group calling itself Supporters and Friends of Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba donated bags of maize flour and beans to the Covid19 National Taskforce. Led by events promoter Balaam Barugahara, the First Son’s supporters told Covid19 chief mobiliser Mary Karooro Okurut that the food items were a birthday cake from the first son to Kateyamba Home in Ndeeba, Naguru Children Remand Home, Old Kampala Mosque, Kibuli Mosque, Widows of Servicemen, comedians, DJs, artists, female fruit vendors, and the disabled, among others.
The idea that Muhoozi already has supporters has been interpreted by some as meaning that the Presidential Advisor has finally decided to join elective politics and perhaps run for the top seat currently occupied by his father.
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