Local investor and businessman, Balaam Barugahara has informed President Yoweri Museveni that his son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba is ripe and ready to succeed him in case he (Museveni) decides to retire as President of Uganda.
He made the remarks on Saturday as President Museveni addressed leaders in Bunyoro sub-region moments after putting a foundation stone for the multibillion 5-star hotel owned by Balaam Barugahara.
“Your Excellency, I want to inform you that I came here with a group of young people who include Team Chairman, Muhoozi Army headed by Hon Mawanda and Revolutionary Guard,” Balaam said on Saturday.
He explained that the groups are working tirelessly to deflate the negative publicity that had been created by Hon Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu and his friends.
“For us we tell them that ‘if you don’t like Mzee Museveni, we have our standby generator and so, if you touch Mzee, we have an avenger.’ I actually belong to those groups of avengers,” he noted.
“We are not competing with you, we work with you and we shall wait for your guidance on when we can shoot. For now, we are silent. Your Excellency, can you imagine, we silenced them by holding just a birthday party?” wondered Balaam.
“We love you Mzee. We are loyal to you, we are your children. We will work with you and Maama Janet as well as the NRM party. The Queen of UK has died at 96, she has been on the throne for 70 years, you have been in power for only 35 years, what is wrong with Museveni being in power for 45 years? he asked.
“Continue striking, let us support you and when you feel you can not kick anymore, we have our backup transformer somewhere – the standby generator (Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba),” Balaam added.
The same was reechoed by youth leaders in the sub-region who used the even to politely ask the President to give his son an opportunity to rule Uganda when time finally comes.
“Your Excellency what you see infront here, the shining colors here, this is Team Chairman famously known as MK Project. Mr. President, this team has worked tirelessly with Mr Balaam Barugahara to ensure that this function is colorful. Your Excellency, we as Team Chairman, we are really so appreciative for the peace you fought for and we are also requesting you that you allow your son Muhoozi to stand for Presidency. We really love him so much,” said Ayebare Evelyn, the Masindi District Female Youth Councilor.
Meanwhile, the President used his visit in Masindi to meet area leaders, commission Radio 7, put a foundation stone on Kaguta Conference center and 5-star hotel all owned by Balaam, before addressing public rally at Golf Course Grounds.
In all his addresses, Museveni heaped praised on Balaam for embracing sectors of creating wealth (Commercial agriculture, ICT, services) as well as what he referred to as okureija (spotting opportunities and tapping into them).
He said Balaam has been able to use the existing peace and enabling environment in Uganda to “chase away poverty” noting that everyone else can pick a leaf and better themselves as opposed to also cry for government jobs which not enough for everyone.
He then challenged the people of Bunyoro sub-region to use the Parish development model (PDM) funds wisely in order to transform their livelihoods.
According to Museveni, if used properly, the PDM cash will cause a tremendous change in the livelihoods of poor Ugandans and help to eradicate poverty among the citizens.
He noted that PDM is a game changer that will increase production and productivity to put money into the homesteads of poor Ugandans.