At the beginning of last month (August) Local Government Minister Raphael Magyezi shocked the nation especially his constituents when he announced he wouldn’t seek a reelection as Igara County (West) Member of Parliament.
It remained quite disturbing to political pundits why a man who had sealed the stay of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in power could simply withdraw from a race.
Magyezi, 60, has been in Parliament for two terms.
After successfully fronting the age limit demand which saw the constitution amended, Magyezi would later be appointed Minister of Local Government in 2019, a position the public perceives as a reward from the principal beneficiary of the age limit- Gen. Museveni, according to the status quo Museveni, wouldn’t contest for President again because he has already clocked 75 years of age.
But Magyezi’s motion made him unpopular since inception until to-date, from threatening his life, to his family and then cost him his political seat.
But Magyezi defends his decision to quitting saying it is normal not to contest.
“It is written nowhere that someone shouldn’t stand,” he said.
On popularity, Magyezi insists his political star hadn’t waned in Igara West. “Then how come the people cried when I announced I was leaving?”
However, it remains a public secret that Magyezi withdrawal was prompted by Kasambya County MP Gaffa Mbwatekamwa’s announcement that he was shifting political base to Igara to tussle it out with Magyezi.
This legislator who has represented Kasambya county in Mubende since 2016, was born and raised in Gongo village in Igara, Bushenyi district.
He picked nomination forms in July from the ruling National Resistance Movement-NRM party to contest for Igara West Parliamentary seat where he registered as a voter.
The outspoken lawmaker is among the party lawmakers with dissenting views, which has made him popular. And therefore there is no way Magyezi stood chance to defeat him.
Inside Magyezi- Museveni Deal
On July 15, NRM ‘dissident’ MPs met the principal at State House Entebbe and sought pardon.
Mbwatekamwa was among the 16 MPs who asked for forgiveness.
Whereas it remains undisclosed what package they received from Museveni after agreeing to ‘return home’ our well placed State House sources say, each MP bagged shs 200 million.
Using his connections inside State House, Magyezi learnt of this huge package which Mbwatekamwa would use to finance his operations in Igara to dismantle Magyezi’s candidature.
“I have nothing, already that young boy has been given entadikwa (starter) of 200 million,” Magyezi is quoted to have lamented to his close circles.
Against that backdrop, Magyezi sought audience with the principal and narrated how he got a vision to opt out of Bushenyi politics.
“My God told me that I should protect your vote and I shouldn’t stand,” Magyezi is also quoted to have told the NRM chairman.
He said since he holds the docket of local government, he knows all the structures across the country, and therefore he will use this opportunity to protect Museveni’s vote at the grass root, rally the support (youth) at the grass root and also woo more voters to the NRM.
Museveni seemed to have been swayed by Magyezi’s vision and he allowed him to go ahead and execute the mission.
But Magyezi had only one demand, “to stay in cabinet even after 2021 elections” which the principal accepted.
Therefore Magyezi will serve as an ex officio in government after next year’s election.