Matembe blasts Museveni over nepotism

The outspoken former minister of ethics, Miria Matembe, condemned the gross nepotism practiced by President Yoweri Museveni in his National Resistance Movement (NRM) government.  In 1986, when Museveni took over power after a five year guerilla war, he promised to build a new Uganda free of corruption and nepotism. However, many former comrades are disappointed that he preaches water and drinks wine. Matembe, who was once a strong supporter of the NRM, turned into a fierce critic after disagreeing with Museveni on how Uganda is governed.

In a recent recorded video, Matembe speaking in Luganda, said that it is no longer a secret that Museveni is planning to make his son, Gen. Muhoozi Keinerugaba, succeed him as the next president of Uganda. “Muhoozi project”, is now a popular phrase to many Ugandans. Matembe advises that this is a very stupid act by African leaders. “What wisdom does his son have?” Matembe questions. 

She wandered how Museveni appointed his wife, Janet Museveni, as minister of education when she is an old woman who is supposed to be at home looking after her grandchildren.

The former ethics minister complains about the Ugandan education system. She considers it dead and questions if Uganda does not have more competent people to occupy such positions. Matembe called it an act of stupidity to fill positions in government with family members, and   in-laws, while competent people like her, are thrown away.

In June 2021, after Museveni put in place a new cabinet, Matembe accused Museveni of making “weak appointments” especially of women in high positions such as Robina Nabbanja as Prime Minister and Jessica Alupo  as vice-president.

Ugandans believed that the two women are unfit for the high posts but were simply co-opted conspirators with Museveni in propping up a corrupt regime.

According to Matembe, the appointments were purposefully made to entrench Museveni’s grip to power. While commenting on the appointments of Alupo and Nabbanja, in an interview with theconversation.com, Matembe said that, “as far as I am concerned, I have no hope or faith in the Museveni government. [With these appointments] Museveni is clearly telling you: ‘I am the only one. Uganda is in my hands. Leave it to me.’ There are so many capable women in Uganda.

A number of Museveni’s former allies seem tired of his poor record of managing Uganda and want him to retire gracefully.  In June, Gen. Elly Tumwine, a longtime supporter of Museveni surprised Ugandans when he broke his silence and advised him to hand over power peacefully. This attracted controversy within Museveni’s close confidants. 

While handing over office to his successor Maj. Gen Jim Muhwezi, Gen Tumwine said Museveni should listen to advice and retire because if he doesn’t, that is a recipe for trouble. Tumwine’s straight talk served as a spark for harsh criticism from within NRM. Some called the General a disgruntled old man who was only speaking out after he was dropped from cabinet.

“You know it should be our duty to save him from being ‘ngamba nyenka’ (dictator). The Banyankole have a proverb ‘ngamba nyenka anyunka amarwa mabi’; that the one who does not take advice brews some bad beer. But we should save the president that problem or we should save him from the disease diagnosed by political scientists and political psychologists that is called hubris syndrome,” Gen. Tumwine said.

In an interview with CBS radio, Tumwine said that he did mind those mocking him for speaking out about Museveni’s retirement. He said he only wishes Museveni hands over power to another person peacefully. “It’s those who are interested in the negative but that’s okay. But those interested in the positive think that what I said was good. I wasn’t against anyone; I wasn’t attacking anybody because every Ugandan who wants peace would want to see a president handing over to another person peacefully. Who doesn’t want that?” Tumwine asked.

Ever since making the remarks on Museveni’s retirement, according to reports, Gen. Tumwine is a man living under fear and intimidation by some ‘pigs’. Watch this space.