On NSSF midterm access and Museveni’s spat with Kadaga

I then asked the question: What is the fundamental question on NSSF Intervention (midterm access)? Answer: Government failure to cause a socio-economic relief intervention by adjusting its fiscal policy as a response to the emergency we are now in. If government had intervened, no one would be talking about NSSF.

I supported that idea of NSSF intervention to protest government’s mute policy. In my naiveté, I thought the government would then act mangu mangu to make a relief outlay to mitigate the hardships under the total national lockdown.

I even asked Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba (who had become a tweeter celebrity personality) to tweet something in support of the NSSF intervention. But last Wednesday, I officially withdrew my support for the idea of an NSSF intervention. I am now going to do everything possible to compel government to lay out an economic stimulus package (without touching our NSSF ka-money).

The NSSF management has not helped matters; it has run a bad job of strategic communications and PR. Their first response to ‘our’ calls for their intervention was that it was a populist proposal (because they linked it to Dr Kizza Besigye).

When the calls persisted, NSSF sought refuge in the law; mbu the law doesn’t allow them to do midterm payments. Unfortunately (or fortunately) for Uganda, laws (and the Constitution) can be changed in a jiffy. Now that the law is being changed, NSSF says a midterm access would collapse the economy. Ironically, the idea of midterm access originated from NSSF; and could argue: ‘what the MPs are doing is merely to fast-track it’. And oh dear, now they say NSSF doesn’t have the money.

Someone tell Mr [NSSF managing director Richard] Byarugaba to hire me already. Strategic communication and PR is not about responding to ideas (bad press or proposals). It is about generating future ideas; taking the initiative. Right now, it would be the public responding to NSSF’s proposals.

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A letter purportedly written by Mr Museveni is floating on social media platforms. For the record, I don’t like leaking information in the possession of the State; it is as repugnant as espionage.

The copy I saw didn’t even have an addressee but the general assumption is that it was addressed to Ms Rebecca Kadaga, Speaker of Parliament. The subject: the Shs20m for each MP. And it was copied incongruously (at least administratively) copied to the Chief of Defence Forces. Don’t wink!

But our information is that the circumstances under which the said letter was written have been overtaken by events. Mbu the MPs will set up constituency Covid-19 taskforces (resourced to more than Shs50m).

Was this a victory for Speaker Kadaga over an overbearing and condescending Mr Museveni? Trouble though, is that this could be what Greek Antiquity calls Pyrrhic victory. This Kadaga victory has come at a very wrong time: less than a year to elections.

Mr Museveni doesn’t forget; and he doesn’t forgive. And for that matter, if Ms Kadaga still looks forward to being Speaker for the next Parliament, she should kiss the idea goodbye.
Mr Museveni could exact his revenge by appointing Ms Kadaga vice president; a position that would ‘disable’ her and keep her in the shadow of the President. If I were Ms Kadaga, I would sue for peace.

Mr Bisiika is the executive
editor of the East African Flagpost.
[email protected]