By KT Reporter
Anxiety has continued to grip workers at the electoral commission as insiders insist that failure by secretary Leonard Mulekwah to recognise and take good care of his predecessor Sam Rwakojo’s loyalists created factions which have continued to undermine cohesion and work while complicating things for chairman Byabakama Simon.
Kamwokya Times snoops inside state house say that the president has previously summoned Byabakama to register his displeasure.
The president says that there is no way Byabakama can effectively continue steering the electoral body without developing Rwakojo and Badru Kiggundu-like intelligence networks through which he can get to know what’s happening at all the electoral commission offices across the country.
The EC is broad and majority of its workers are based in districts and not in the headquarter in Kampala.
Among the workers in the districts, the president has his blue-eyed boys and girls who he rings and gets inside information from directly. That’s how he always gets first hand information and he is shocked that each time he rings Byabakama to ask about the same, it turns the chairman isn’t aware of even old information relating to things which may have happened weeks or months earlier.
Museveni is wondering how Byabakama can continue being effective if he doesn’t seem to know a lot of things even those which can be obtained from open intelligence sources. The president is also unhappy to see that unlike Kiggundu and Rwakojo who worked very well with then IGP Kale Kayihura, Byabakama doesn’t have that much chemistry with security agencies chiefs.
Insiders say that part of the reason why Byabakama and secretary Mulekwa have failed to take full charge is because majority of the EC workers especially in districts have never accepted that there is a new leadership at EC.
There are people Rwakojo had been training to take up big roles for the many years he was at the helm and Mulekwa wasn’t among them. Sources say that the Rwakojo infrastructure remains in place and very powerful even after the man quit and these days spends most of his time at his private office at senior lawyer Enos Tumusime’s building in industrial area near Bugolobi.
And yet when he became secretary, Mulekwa felt powerful and began stepping on toes of those who used to shine during Rwakojo days. One of the Rwakojo era movers is Eric Sabiti the powerful and long serving lawyer at the electoral commission.
Sabiti was supposed to be carrying the title of Principal Litigation chief but those who came after his godfather and mentor Sam Rwakojo never allowed that. They quashed that powerful title and people close to Mulekwa rallied people like the election manager, head finance, head internal audit and head operations to gang up and isolate Sabiti and those perceived to be like-minded.
“These are insiders who keep accessing sensitive information and there is no way they won’t mess you up if you are the new EC secretary and you don’t deliberately work towards wooing them to your side,” explained an insider in a bid to elaborate how Mulekwa’s problems started.
“There are also people who hold no position in government but are very powerful and always look at EC for deals. They may not bid directly but they always recommend people for contracts and that had been happening for all those Rwakojo years. When he became the new secretary, Mulekwa didn’t bother ensuring the delicate balance to accommodate all those deep state interests and this partly explains why he is in so much trouble.”
Along with other officials, Mulekwa had been sent out on forced leave which ended a few days ago prompting the powers that be to ask the Ag EC secretary to extend the forced leave of the targeted officials including Mulekwa for another 45 days. Kamwokya Times has seen some of those written letters by the acting EC secretary asking the affected officials to continue staying away.
Well briefed sources say that Mulekwa may end up being criminally prosecuted in the courts of law. Sources add that even Byabakama isn’t very safe because the dissatisfied Museveni may consider forcing him out and bringing in a totally new commission altogether. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
