Allegiances are fragile, and loyalty is fleeting in the corridors of power in Uganda. As Chris Obore lauds Anita Among, the current Speaker of Parliament, he overlooks a stark truth: power, once wielded with impunity, is ephemeral. Before Anita Among assumed her mantle of authority, there were others who basked in the spotlight, only to find themselves cast aside like yesterday’s news.
The current darling of the political scene, Anita Among, finds herself at the pinnacle of power as the Speaker of Parliament and ostensibly the third most influential figure in government. However, a sobering historical reflection reveals a familiar pattern of rise and fall among Uganda’s political elite.
Before Anita Among’s ascension to prominence, there was General Kale Kayihura, whose tenure as the Inspector General of Police was marked by a seemingly unassailable grip on authority. His name evoked fear and respect in equal measure, as he wielded significant influence within the corridors of power. His reign, marked by allegations of brutality and corruption, came crashing down, leaving behind a legacy tarnished by scandal and disgrace. He was only redeemed in 2023 and vowed never to engage in elective politics.
Prior to Kayihura’s era, there was John Patrick Amama Mbabazi, a figure often described as the epitome of political invincibility. Mbabazi’s meteoric rise through the ranks of government earned him the reputation of being the ‘blue-eyed boy’ of Ugandan politics. His close relationship with President Museveni seemed unshakeable, leading some to speculate that he had cast a spell over the veteran leader. Mbabazi’s ascent to power seemed unstoppable, his influence unrivaled, a notion reinforced by his long tenure as Security Minister, Prime Minister and Secretary General of the ruling NRM party. However, Mbabazi’s fall from grace was as swift as it was spectacular, signaling the transient nature of power in Uganda’s political landscape.
Despite their lofty positions and apparent invincibility, both Kayihura and Mbabazi eventually fell from grace. Their downfalls, meticulously analyzed by Chris Obore himself on NTV Uganda in 2015, serve as cautionary tales for those who dare to cozy up to the corridors of power.
Obore’s analysis, conducted nine years ago, remains as relevant today as it was then. His astute observations on the dynamics of power and the fragility of political allegiances ring true, whether the subject is Mbabazi or Kayihura.
Indeed, the parallels between the two are striking. Both were once regarded as untouchable, their authority seemingly absolute. Yet, in the blink of an eye, their empires crumbled, leaving behind a trail of corruption, nepotism, and abuse of power.
In light of these historical precedents, it is perplexing to witness supposedly sane individuals like Chris Obore, who appear to be brown nosing and aligning themselves with the current power structure epitomized by Anita Among.
But what of Anita Among, the current darling of Ugandan politics? Will she too succumb to the same fate as her predecessors, relegated to the annals of history as yet another casualty of the political machine?
Only time will tell. For now, as Chris Obore reflected on the past, we are left to ponder the future, uncertain of what lies ahead. But one thing is clear: in Uganda’s volatile political landscape, no one is safe from the ever shifting sands of power.
The parallels between Mbabazi and Kayihura serve as a stark reminder of the cyclical nature of power dynamics in Ugandan politics. Despite their once seemingly impregnable positions, both individuals ultimately succumbed to the whims of fate and the fickleness of political fortune. One cannot help but wonder if Obore’s analysis is not just applicable to these two figures, but to the broader landscape of Ugandan politics.
Perhaps, as we navigate the tumultuous waters of Ugandan politics, it is prudent to heed the lessons of history and approach with caution those who wield authority with seeming impunity. Only time will tell if the current power brokers will meet a fate similar to their predecessors, or if they will defy the odds and emerge unscathed from the tumultuous currents of political intrigue.
Let us watch and wait, with bated breath, for the next chapter in this riveting climate.
