If there is someone who already has 2023 by the horns, it is Ian Gumisiriza Jeremiaha.
The city lawyer who is also a President Yoweri Museveni blue-boy, was two days ago appointed as caretaker of Owino Market.
It is a huge responsibility considering the politics surrounding city markets, but as someone who has in the past few years been been deployed to monitor activities in the markets, Ian has what it takes to maneuver the murky waters that come with the appointment.
Ian is also overseeing operations of all markets in Kampala Metropolitan Area (Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono, Mpigi).
It should be recalled that in a recent meeting between President Museveni and senior government leadership and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) bosses, the president made mention of how he has been working closely with Ian on the issue of city markets and how to better manage them.
His elevation is a nod of approval by the appointing authority about the work he has been doing.
In the meeting, it emerged that Ian had exposed the rot in Kampala and Wakiso markets, something that made him instant enemies.
The exclusive meeting was attended by the President Museveni, the Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, the Ministers in charge of Kampala, the Minister for local government, the KCCA Executive Director, the Kampala Resident City Commissioner Kampala, Chairman Kampala District Land Board and the Kamapla Central Division Mayor Uhuru Salim and Suzan Kushaba representing market vendors. It was only Gumisiriza Ian whose attendance could not be explained.
However, later in heated discussions between the senior government officials, President Museveni asked Gumisiriza to interject and offer solutions.
Sources say the attendants in the meeting were surprised when the president told them he always interacts with Gumisiriza on phone about the situations in various markets
All hell broke loose when Gumisiriza launched a tirade against KCCA officials and ministers accusing them of disrespecting the presidential directives and conniving with market leaders to exploit poor market vendors.
The president who had been interrupting ministers and cutting their presentations short told Gumisiriza to make his presentation in Runyankore and sat quietly as he launched into details of exploitation of poor vendors in all markets beginning with Wandegeya, Owino, Nakasero and even markets outside Kampala such as Kitooro Market in Entebbe.
After his presentation the president assured Gumisiriza that whoever was engaged in disrespecting his directives will face it rough by reciting a Kinyankore proverb which he translated in Luganda that “Ekisogasoga tikikaayana najambiya. The President then instructed the Prime Minister to include Gumisiriza on her team to help her understand the problems in the market.
It is alleged that after the first meeting at Nakasero, a lot of confusion and panic was created in Kampala markets as the Prime Minister and her team embarked on the task given to them by the president.
Chaos and jubilations erupted in Wandegeya market where the Prime Minister immediately dismissed the leadership of a one Mayisimolo who is a close confidant of Suzan Kushaba.
This prompted Suzan Kushaba to launch a war against the Prime Minister and her team accusing them of violating the presidential directives and warning them that they should not dare step in Owino Market.
To set the record straight the president then summoned the same parties for a follow up meeting and the same was scheduled for Wednesday November 16, 2022.
Sources say that as soon as the meeting begun the prime minister requested the president to compel Suzan Kushaba to explain why she always insulted her.
Suzan then attempted to justify her behavior but the president would have none of it.
It was at this juncture that the president informed them why he had invited them back. He begun his speech by narrating to them how one of his boys, Gumisiriza, had informed him about the core problems in the markets and they had agreed on what should be done.
The President then inquired if Gumisiriza was present in the meeting and told him to switch on the microphone before they launched out what turned into a dialogue on what should be done in Kampala markets.
Our source informed us that all the other officials were shocked to realize that the president had already made up his mind based on what he said was as a result of his discussions with Gumisiriza.
The President allowed Gumisiriza to make all the proposals on which dues should be paid by vendors in government markets before he would entertain comments from other people.
Even where the Executive Director and Suzan Kushaba disagreed with Gumisiriza’s proposals like on charges to be levied on use of public toilets, the president would allow Gumisiriza to clarify and would end up dismissing the Executive Director’s suggestions.
Death threats reported to Museveni
Sources have intimated that before Gumisiriza explained his proposals as tasked by the president, he first informed the president that there had been attempts to kill him by people he claimed were present in that meeting.
Gumisiriza claimed that the assailants had vandalized his vehicle and took off with copies of reports he had been giving the president before they poured salt into his fuel tank causing engine failure.
It is also said that Gumisiriza informed the President that the mafia had infiltrated the president’s inner circle using a certain Colonel and Major in the Special Forces Command and they were responsible for preventing him from receiving genuine reports causing the untold suffering of people in Kampala Markets.
Who is Gumisiriza Ian?
Sources say that the Prime Minister told the President that she didn’t know Gumisiriza prompting the president to introduce him.
“He is my volunteer. He is a son of my cadre Florence Kata who was the Executive Director of Uganda Export Promotions Board.”
Investigations have since established that Gumisiriza is the Chairman Museveni Supporters’ Association and Team Leader of MySevo App, a mobile application that was used by Museveni to scientifically campaign during the Presidential elections.
His twitter timeline is also plastered with pictures of him meeting top diplomats including the Cuban Foreign Minister and Venezuela’s Minister in Charge of Africa. There are also pictures with First Son General Muhoozi Kainerugaba who he refers to as Commandante and in one of the comments the First Son also refers to him as “My brother”.
A search on Google also brought up a number of articles authored by him some of which criticise KCCA leadership and NRM leadership. Other articles indicate that he recently led the demonstrations against EU Parliament resolution on EACOP.