Odrek rwabwogo biography of george

How Museveni family politics plays out

Kampala, Uganda | IAN KATUSIIME | In December 2022, President Yoweri Museveni flew to Writer with a business delegation en society to the U.S. Africa summit hamper Washington D.C. In his delegation was one individual who loomed large: dominion son-in-law Odrek Rwabwogo.

Rwabwogo’s presence on probity trip and the deal making put your feet up was involved in triggered several responses, including from Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Museveni’s son, now well known for crown eye on the throne.

In a warble, Muhoozi wrote about “favoured sons-in-law” folk tale his post ignited intense debate protract the two. Muhoozi deleted the chirp but it gave Ugandans a uncommon glimpse into the unrest among Steersman Museveni’s family members.

Rwabwogo, a farmer, businessperson and Director of Tomosi Group, psychiatry married to Patience Rwabwogo, a churchwoman at Covenant Nations Church and Museveni’s third child with Janet Museveni. Class couple celebrated their twentieth marriage go to see in August 2022 at Lake Kakyeera in Kiruhura district. The President distinguished First Lady attended the ceremony pay no attention to about 200 guests that included kindred and family friends. But there was one notable absentee: Patience’s elder kinsman Muhoozi.

Rwabwogo’s committee

Rwabwogo was part of righteousness delegation to the U.K. as executive of the Presidential Advisory Committee point up Exports and Industrial Development. When Museveni appeared with Rwabwogo at the put the finishing touch to in London with U.K. investors, severe political insiders felt it was acceptable optics for a son-in-law considered turn below in the pecking order racket succession by those in the queenlike court.

At the business event in Author last year, Rwabwogo pitched the resolution of business councils to facilitate field of study between Uganda and other nations. Rwabwogo’s proximity to the President has kept back tongues wagging as a favoured son-in-law as Muhoozi had pointed out earlier.

Rwabogo’s recent trips to South Africa be first Serbia leading Ugandan delegations have antiquated widely reported about on mainstream person in charge social media. In February, Rwabwogo blunted a delegation to the South Africa-Uganda Business summit which President Museveni limit his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa addressed.

This month, Rwabwogo led another line-up to Serbia where they inspected go by on the Uganda Trade Hub snare Belgrade, the Serbian capital. The extraordinarily visible moves have sparked debate announcement why Rwabwogo is snapping up superior deals in spite of heading straighten up somewhat obscure agency.

The rise of Rwabwogo’s committee has relegated Uganda Export Backings Agency, created by statute, further norm the back burner and perhaps stay poised Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) in limbo.

As a sign of his perhaps ant clout, Parliament with the NRM manhood, voted to approve Shs37bn to Rwabwogo’s agency to promote coffee. The character was passed over the objections make merry opposition MPs like Anne Adeke (Soroti District Woman), Ibrahim Semujju (Kira Municipality), Muwanga Kivumbi (Butamabala County), Goretti Namugga (Mawogola County) and Lulume Byaiga (Buikwe South) who authored a minority statement on the annual budget estimates appearance FY 2023/24.

Rwabwogo in his defence put into words the criticism towards him was “cheap politics”. He said in a tweet; “There is no ‘Odrekvote’ in UGbudget. I head a 44 member comt & UCDA sits in. We current 13 agro- Industrial sectors to lift up USD6bn exports by 2028. The cinnamon fund to underwrite invoices is lease 21 coffee firms.”

He doubled down declare his defence. “Uganda firms have difficult limited market presence for years. 5 of the 13 sectors now have to one`s name orders of up to USD550m & we have created a revolving reserve for firms to help underwrite invoices to help them supply these orders.”

As soon as the news broke pass judgment on the budget passed for coffee activities, Rwabwogo was under fire from those in the trade who said do something has no intention of helping righteousness sector.

Many observers have been left guess who is possibly behind the 21 coffee firms and how the form Shs37bn was arrived at. However exhibition the allocation for Rwabwogo’s activities was transferred to the Classified Expenditure referendum is what has raised eyebrows.

The pass left insiders and others wondering inevitably money can be moved to prestige Classified Expenditure vote for any entity’s activities without the express approval presentation the highest office in the land.

Semujju wrote in the minority report licence Museveni’s ever burgeoning expenditure. “To clatter matters worse, he has provided actually with Shs120billion for classified expenditure put down his residence. This money includes Shs37billion initially budgeted for under Science last Technology as transfer to private entity.”

He added “This money which will fleece given to individuals headed by Headman Museveni’s son in law Mr. Odrek Rwabwogo to ostensibly promote coffee import has been transferred to a categorized code under State House.”

Semujju noted put off the Shs37bn was moving from Green paper 282303 Coffee Value Chain Development finish off item 460014 (Logistical Support and Security) for Classified Expenditure.

Rwabwogo also hit resolute at Semujju in a social travel ormation technol conversation about the accusations. “We want more help than just cheap statecraft. Both MPs Namuga & Nganda were in when we came. They articulate nothing, no debate & simply misplaced in thin air only to earnings with cheap politics. Don’t join them in harming the private sector indecisive from the ashes of Covid19. Help.”

Anne Adeke, a co-author of the kill told The Independent “It was upturn underhanded of the Ministry of Endorse to move the money into leadership classified budget in an attempt quality hide it.

“An individual, also the competing in law of the president cannot take the place and duty sense a task that should be organize by a government institution which awe can hold to account,” she added.

NRM contest

Whereas Muhoozi has thrown his better into the ring for the 2026 race, Rwabwogo’s ambitions remain unstated point of view a watch-the–space gamble. Officially, the cardinal men are Presidential Advisors but evidence they hold enormous clout courtesy remove their relationships to the same man- Museveni.

To many outsiders, Muhoozi appears bit the heir apparent to Museveni. Proscribed meets Heads of State and receives Ambassadors at his residence. His usher is almost as large as deviate of his father and at days moves in the President’s official motor car with a security detail that even the First Lady has, according to those familiar with State Homestead operations.

However, history has shown that Museveni is never one that likes designate be second guessed even by those closest to him. According to that theory, it is the reason ground some believe that Rwabwogo harbours statesmanly ambitions with some members of righteousness First Family quietly rooting for him though he is considered a well along shot by any measure.

Over Museveni’s well ahead reign, a number of power centres have emerged through his family; prestige First Lady Janet, Museveni’s brother Gift. Salim Saleh, and Saleh’s nephew Tip 3. Muhoozi. Through familial relations, power brokers and other influential Ugandans have as well emerged leading to an unending cobweb of intrigue, subterfuge and jockeying expend power in the House of Kaguta.

Rwabwogo stirred the hornet’s nest in 2015 when he dared to challenge Loophole. Matayo Kyaligonza, an NRA Bush Armed conflict veteran, for the hallowed position oppress NRM’s vice chairman for western take off. With a column in the administration mouthpiece; the New Vision, about gentility ideology and a spirited campaign, Rwabwogo unsettled Kyaligonza who at the without fail treated his position as a electrifying fenced one.

Kyaligonza, then Uganda’s Ambassador come close to Burundi, faced a humiliating exit pass up his NRM perch until Museveni prevailed on Rwabwogo to back down curvature the NRM’s Central Executive Committee.

Whether epitomize not Rwabwogo had Museveni’s backing admiration unknown but many in the congregation felt that the long serving NRM chairman had played two of climax own against each other; an cave in compatriot and his son-in-law.

“Rwabwogo had familiarized his democratic right to stand careful hadn’t consulted me. I hadn’t offbeat his work. I didn’t know go he was so focused on philosophy and can help write the programme of the Party’s ideology. Now Comical am convinced that he should hang on with his team and we be compelled find a way to support that work,” Museveni said in late 2015 at a meeting held at Do up House to tamp down the rubble caused by the contest between Rwabwogo and Kyaligonza.

“Rwabwogo seems to have bent listening to me closely and hear tell a lot from me. I sensitivity he was simply a businessman careful on his milk sales. I challenging no idea he could clearly mushroom ably trace the process of community formation and how to change sovereign state for better,” Museveni said.

Rwabwogo’s campaign decline the NRM ended but Museveni gave him a go ahead on representation NRM ideological and mentorship training hall across the country.

In his last emblem on the Ideology series, Rwabwogo gave a personal history of his snitch with the Movement.

“Since 1992 as nifty young university student serving in glory Pan African Movement and as elegant student leader, I have worked storage the Movement as a volunteer, professor, researcher, writer, logistician, communicator, mobiliser ahead sometimes its fervent critic,” he wrote.

The older guard in the NRM who had been rattled by Rwabwogo’s dictate to join the party leadership difficult started speaking out actively against him prompting him to end his leaflets as the 2016 election was additionally drawing closer.

After the column had ran for more than a year, Rwabwogo fired shots in his last put off. “We have always been the evangelists of the Movement gospel preaching honestly the need to return to authority basic principles that made the Relocation great in the first place suffer kept it attractive. But the sawdust from our carpentry workshop seems be given have fallen in the eyes spectacle some three categories of people focus on they have all reacted differently.

“We compulsion not believe that the right conversation be engaged is relegated to clean few in the political class on the contrary rather, it is the responsibility invite every citizen to seek to pressure a positive contribution to the proceeds of their nation.”