Ex Prime Minister and presidential candidate, John Patrick Amama Mbabazi could be in the next cabinet, sources reveal.
Our highly placed and credible sources in the political corridors of power, intimated to us on condition of anonymity, that the man from Kanungu’s most recent visits to State House and meetings with President Yoweri Museveni, say something about what role he is likely play going forward.
“He had been attending state functions, given respect and saluted despite being a former presidential candidate who had apparently fallen out with Museveni, his NRA colleague,” a sources says.
The source added, “The public appearances with Museveni are meant to prepare the public for his rumored return to the ruling class.”
Mbabazi’s latest sighting at a Museveni event was the president’s swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday at Kololo Independence Grounds.
Amama, known to be a dapper since time immemorial, did not disappoint on the same as he attended the event at Kololo with his wife, Jacqueline Mbabazi, further fueling speculation about the role he could play in the near future.
Government spokesperson, Ofwono Opondo tweeted something that gave pointers about Amama and his rumored return to government.
“More like a well deserved home-coming @AmamaMbabazi and wife Jacqueline arrive,” Opondo tweeted.
Sources add that the former Premier has been meeting the powers that be, to reportedly vet a number of new members of cabinet saying its an indication he is going to be involved.
Following his swearing-in, Museveni is expected to form a new government with which he will work to achieve the social contract he has with Ugandans for the next five years. The new cabinet is expected ‘anytime now.’
Amama was premier until his sacking September 2014 when he was sacked for harboring presidential ambitions. He went ahead to contest against Museveni in the 2016 presidential polls that he lost.
He had served in government since the takeover of the National Resistance Army (NRA) led by Museveni in 1986, and had come to be known as ‘Mr Fix It’ because of the power he wielded in the government. He was also NRM Secretary General.
It appears Amama is set to return and play a similar role if what the sources are telling us comes to pass.
On his part, the former PM who is not to keep his political card close to his chest by operating smoothly, has been tightlipped about whether he will return to the fold.
