“YOUR GAL (NTABAZI) DOESN’T RESPECT ME“
Details have started to emerge as to why President Museveni deployed his blue-eyed boy and now former Chief of Defense Forces Gen. Wilson Mbasu Mbadi to trade ministry.
Inspectors suggested that the ministry headed by Mzee Francis Mwebesa has in the recent past been embroiled in intense infighting with the elderly minister allegedly pleading with General Yoweri to save him from his junior minister Harriet NTABAZI whom he allegedly accused of disrespect.
“That gal doesn’t respect me at all. Its like I am a shamba boy in her eyes” explained an inspector quoting the minister as telling General Yoweri a few days to the reshuffle day.
The minister in his alleged detail to Jjajja Museveni whom they seem to have a close touch like any other buddies, allegedly sarcastically told his pal (Museveni) not to fire him.
“I hear you’re going make a reshuffle, yes, I am hearing it. But please don’t touch me. I am still around. Don’t touch me” the minister is quoted to have told his buddy and president Museveni who kept laughing at the words of his pal. Indeed Museveni never fired his friend and he ensured that he retained him in his very position as minister for Trade, Industry and Cooperatives.
We’re told Mwebesa’s alleged bad blood which even forced Museveni to deploy Gen. Mbadi to trade ministry to occupy Ntabazi’s position was to do with revenue collections.
Apparently, word kept trickling in suggesting that there were loopholes in licensing/clearing processes at some border points with some illegalities taking place. The affected points were especially between Uganda-Tanzania and Uganda-DR Congo borders.
Eager to run a scandal-free sector that directly contribute to the country’s revenue generation, Mwebesa allegedly kept getting disturbing reports about illegal licensing and clearing for rice and other products from Tz and DRC where some unscrupulous individuals including some in the ministry making billions of illegal dimes. He kept bringing it to the attention of his junior line minister for action but it seems he received no positive response.
An investigation by tax body-URA allegedly unearthed hair-raising findings where over Shs20bn had been lost in such occurrences.
We’re told when Museveni got wind of this alleged saga within the ministry, that’s why he moved swiftly and knifed Ntabazi and deployed Mbadi for further study of the mess and fixation. Gen. Mbadi is equally Museveni’s close buddy having worked as his longtime chief bodyguard before taking over roles in the UPDF administration and now minister.
On the other hand, Ntabazi is a former woman MP for Bundibugyo district having kicked out her arch rival and NRM EC commissioner Jane Alisemera Babiiha. She was a vocal gal in parliament and sometimes classified among the ‘hecklers club’.
At first, she was appointed to cabinet but her appointment wasn’t cleared but later she managed. She however, remains a very loyal gal to the president and willing to do anything to anyone who tries to fight him.
“She’s a jolly gal and likes cracking jokes. But she’s firm when it comes to political cohesion. I think that’s why Mzee retained her as a Senior Presidential Advisor unlike the likes of (Gorreti) Kitutu who were fired disgracefully” explained an inspector.
Museveni last week made a slight reshuffle into his cabinet firing Ntabazi alongside Vincent Ssempijja, Gorreti Kitutu, Agnes Nandutu.
