He dared to unveil the secret plans of grooming Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the son of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, to succeed his father as the president of the nation.
Little did he know that this daring act would ignite a storm of consequences, leading to his exile and the closure of two newspapers that dared to publish his letter.
Fast forward 10 years, and Muhoozi has not only embraced his ambitions to ascend to the presidency after his father, but he has also revealed a specific timeline for this grand endeavor. He cannot wait any longer; the year must be 2026, precisely when his father’s current term comes to an end.
The stage is now set for a captivating political drama, where father and son find themselves engaged in active campaigns to either retain or gain power. Interestingly, Muhoozi’s boldness in launching his presidential bid has emboldened others, including those who have worked closely with his father, to speak openly about this once-secretive matter.
One such individual is Francis Onapito Ekomoloit, formerly a Presidential press secretary between 2002 and 2006. In his recently published memoir, titled “Tears & Triumph: My Life with Yoweri Museveni and Others,” Onapito divulges that his ex-boss had meticulously prepared his only son to inherit the mantle of presidency.
Amusingly, it was Onapito’s own newspaper, The Crusader, that initially published reports on Muhoozi’s first steps toward the presidency, such as his enrollment in the UPDF. Based on what Onapito witnessed within the walls of Museveni’s palace, he declares that it would come as no surprise if Muhoozi eventually claims the presidency after his father.
On Muhoozi’s illustrious 48th birthday, celebrated through a series of national events, including a grand state dinner graced by Rwandan president Paul Kagame, he appeared resplendent and poised to take the reins from his father. In his book, Onapito passionately writes, “Would I be surprised if the man famously dubbed the ‘Twitter General’ became Uganda’s 10th President, despite seemingly running into some troubled waters?
A big No.”He goes on to explain that during his time working at State House, he came to the realization that President Museveni was diligently preparing Muhoozi to potentially assume the presidency of Uganda one day. Museveni not only instilled military prowess in his son but also ensured that Muhoozi possessed a profound understanding of statecraft and a deep knowledge of the Ugandan landscape.
Amidst the noise that attempts to dismiss Muhoozi as lacking sophistication, with claims that he solely desires the presidency because he is his father’s son, Onapito, from his personal interactions, describes Muhoozi as a person who grasps the intricacies of Ugandan politics.
He recounts a remarkable incident during his tenure at State House when Muhoozi, while his father was out of the country, summoned Onapito, the press secretary, to his office adjacent to State House Nakasero. It wasn’t for discussing media matters but, rather, Muhoozi’s genuine curiosity about the situation in Teso.
“One day while still at State House, I realised Muhoozi held de facto brief when his father was out of the country. Why else would Muhoozi while the president was out of the country call a press secretary to his office, adjacent to State House Nakasero, but not to discuss media issues? How is the situation in Teso? The youthful PGB boss [now special forces command) asked me. We discussed nothing else other than the Teso dynamics. I can imagine he spoke to dozens of other people about issues in their different regions of Uganda. And kept Daddy informed,” Onapito writes.
Armed with this knowledge, Onapito asserts his unwavering belief that no one else in Uganda is as prepared as Muhoozi to replace Museveni as president. If there is another individual, Onapito adds, they certainly have not been groomed by Museveni to bear the weighty responsibility of a political military presidency built upon close-knit, informal networks.
While Muhoozi has expressed his interest in the presidency, the path ahead remains shrouded in uncertainty. President Yoweri Museveni, who will have served for a staggering 40 years by the time his current term concludes in 2026, still appears keen on continuing his tenure. Within the NRM, the issue of Muhoozi’s candidacy remains a sticky subject, with senior party leaders indicating their continued interest in having Museveni as their candidate.
However, even these senior leaders who publicly express their preference for Museveni remain uncertain about Museveni’s own stance on the matter. During a recent retreat in Kyankwanzi, while addressing NRM members of parliament, Museveni touched on the Muhoozi issue.
He acknowledged Muhoozi’s rising prominence among the youth, attributing it to the perceived weaknesses within the NRM. Nonetheless, Museveni warned Muhoozi against criticizing the NRM, emphasizing their shared ideology. In a series of tweets, Muhoozi had previously launched scathing criticisms at the NRM and its leaders, labeling it the most reactionary organization he had ever encountered.
He boldly declared that the NRM was too deformed to fulfill the aspirations of the people of Uganda. As the clock ticks toward the fateful year of 2026, peering through the political kaleidoscope reveals the intriguing dynamics of Museveni and Muhoozi’s game.
Onapito’s memoir also sheds light on Museveni’s obsession with crowds, a fascinating facet of the narrative. During the 2006 presidential election, when Museveni faced off against his former physician Dr Kizza Besigye, he became incensed by a photograph published by the New Vision newspaper.
The image showcased Besigye surrounded by a massive crowd in Arua. The newspaper, seemingly forgetting its state links, boldly splashed the photo on its front page.
“The New Vision, as if forgetting its state links, joined the fray by splashing the photo of the crowd on the front page. Candidate Museveni, perhaps rightly so, was furious. A very brief meeting on the issue attended by the candidate, the New Vision Corporation Secretary Robert Kabushenga and the paper’s board chairman Brig Noble Mayombo and I ended almost before it started.
“As the sands of time slip, through the hourglass, the enthralling political game between Museveni and Muhoozi unfolds. The path to Muhoozi’s presidential aspirations remains veiled in mystery, leaving the world curious about what lies ahead. President Yoweri Museveni, with four decades of leadership under his belt, still displays an unwavering interest in serving the nation. Within the NRM, the issue of Muhoozi’s candidacy weaves a tangled web, as senior party leaders publicly express their preference for Museveni. However, even these seasoned leaders find themselves unsure of Museveni’s own position on the matter. Holding the copy of the New Vision newspaper, to show us the front-page photo of Besigye crowd, the candidate rhetorically asked; what’s this? Before any of us could say a thing, he dropped the newspaper on the table and ended the meeting by walking away,” Onapito writes.
The president’s sensitivity to how he was portrayed in the media prompted even those who desired Onapito’s position to join in the criticism, asserting that he failed to sufficiently enhance Museveni’s visibility during the campaign. Onapito shares an incident during a campaign trail in Rukungiri, where certain individuals alleged that the Presidential Press Unit’s photographers missed critical shots showcasing the candidate’s massive support.
Rumors began circulating, indicating that Onapito and his team were not fulfilling their duties diligently. Consequently, Onapito received a call one evening while they were retreating to Mbarara town. He was summoned to a meeting with the candidate at the state lodge.
Upon entering the room, Onapito found Museveni, accompanied by his wife Janet and his then Principal Private Secretary Amelia Kyambadde.
“The fifth person was the one who got the hairs on my head standing. He was Robert Kabushenga, someone with no official role neither in State House nor in the re-elect Museveni campaign. I immediately knew it was about campaign photos precisely to do with crowds. Belying his relaxation, the candidate clearly addressing me belted out a question; why don’t you want to do your work? I was startled wondering how he could ask such a question to someone who had just returned from another gruelling campaign day. I liked and believed what I was doing; I wanted him to win the election. Clearly, someone or people had briefed the candidate negatively about me and the PPU,” Onapito writes, adding that he told the president that it was unfair to suggest that he was not giving his best to the campaigns.
“After a brief discussion in which Kabushenga was curiously quiet, a suggestion was made by someone else in the meeting that my team be replaced. The candidate however, rejected the suggestion outright. He said he would give the PPU a chance.
The discussion, albeit brief, revolved around campaign photos, specifically those capturing the essence of crowds. Despite the campaign handlers’ attempts to shift blame and curry favor with the candidate, Museveni rejected the suggestion of replacing Onapito’s team outright.
He granted the Presidential Press Unit another chance, fully aware that Onapito was a former member of parliament hailing from a region where Museveni’s support was not entirely secure. Removing him at that moment would have sent a message of tribal victimization, something Museveni sought to avoid.
A few months after Museveni’s triumphant third term, made possible through a constitutional amendment in 2005, Onapito bid farewell to State House and embarked on a new chapter at Nile Breweries. Onapito’s book, a captivating chronicle of his personal life, his experiences as a student and lecturer at Makerere University, his adventures as a journalist and newspaper owner, his brief stint as a member of parliament, and his current role, offers readers a glimpse into the captivating tapestry of his journey. Priced at Shs 60,000, this literary gem awaits eager readers at Aristoc Booklet in Kampala.
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