How a smart Kadaga numbed opposition on Magola-M7 Ugx576 billions.

The world has been wondering and self-checking as to what gods could have visited and toured the noisy nosy NUP headquarters over the last few days.

It’s a trademark of the opposition to always talk about everything and anything Museveni- Anitah Among regardless of sensibility.

They will hold media briefs, pressers, TikTok, WhatsApp, tweet and re-tweet at leisure to poke and appear to express anything Parliament has touched.

Over the past three months, they dedicated most of their time at press conferences, funerals, weddings and concerts among others, talking about Anitah Among and the Commission on the lawful decision to reward retiring commissioners, and the former LOP, calling it corruption.

On Tuesday this week, the house considered a supplementary budget request that considered a number of questionable items including a once in a once-in-a-generation award of a UGx 576bn to a known Rebecca Kadaga ally, a one Mathias Magoola to ostensibly finance a private pharmaceutical project.

For the usual NUP and her known approach and noise, this was a moment to savour, a moment to use their language to literally have a chance to jump on the table.

This controversial award, transacted through the budget committee attracted the ire of the Kira Municipality legislator, Ibrahim Semujju Nganda a well-known Kadaga opponent of the old days, and only two other opposition legislators; Mathias Mpuuga the former LOP, and Yusuf Nsibambi who questioned the legality of the award.

To his credit, the LOP, Joel Besekezi Ssenyonyi, stood and spoke good English about the award, got glued to his seat and spent the rest of the evening on his phone chatting.

The special behaviour of LOP Ssenyonyi, his Chief Opposition Whip, John Baptist Nambeshe, simply disappeared and only a handful of shadow ministers around left observers in shock, although not surprising, for those who follow the NUP – Kadaga dealings.

This is indeed a special deal! Sources close to the LOP shared the frantic conversations between him and the Kadaga – Magoola axis that lasted until the deal was struck.

The LOP kept his word; no more than three shadow ministers attended plenary, he wobbled and finally settled his tail between his legs and things just moved as planned.

Who hammered the final deal?

Despite being a Museveni – dyed-in-the-wool, former Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga, was NUP’s preferred candidate for Speakership despite the race having Ssemujju Nganda from the opposition FDC party.

Unashamedly, Bobi Wine, the NUP leader, ordered his MPs to vote for Kadaga and has never found his dealings with the former Speaker to be dealings with Museveni. Kadaga’s issue threatened to tear NUP apart even before its MPs were sworn in since some were outrightly for Ssemujju as the secretary general, Lewis Rubongoya and Ssenyonyi were for Thomas Tayebwa against Yusuf Nsibambi for Deputy Speaker. That is when money in millions of shillings came in, and eventually, an order was made by the NUP supremo.

Taking money from Kadaga, and taking the same from Anitah is criminal and means dealing with Museveni.

What NUP-Bobi has never come clean about is how they find comfort in dealing with Kadaga, a Musevenist and an uncompromising NRM supporter, and not others beyond financial motivation.

The recent pharmaceutical deal involving Kadaga, Magoola and the LOP has brought back the deal-making times.

Information coming through is that a settlement of between Ugx 300m – 500m was agreed upon between Ssenyonyi and Magoola’s team, and true to form, no damage was caused, the transaction passed clean with good English and no climbing tables.

And this time round, the settlement was in advance no promises. What’s not clear is between NUP principals, who took what percentage. Kadaga used his closeness to Bobi to smoothen the passing of the giveaway!
It’s historical and many in the corridors of Parliament are wondering how the LOP has to date not held a press conference to talk about this other case of corruption and abuse of power.

Many noisy NUP MPs are unusually mute about a Ugx 567 billion transaction and their leader, the LOP is conspicuously silent about it.

The world expected Bobi Wine to make a reference at his latest presser at Kavule but alas he veered Kabaka issues, Anitah Among et al, not the Kadaga Magoola deal in which their beaks were wetted and served well.

Someone whisper to Bobi Wine and the Leader of Opposition, Magoola -Kadaga your buddies took Ugx 567bn of taxpayers’ money, are you in exile?