By Otim NapePreviously unknown secrets as to why President Museveni always bashes the 6th parliament (1996-2001) have emerged. The detailed account as to why Museveni always refers to 6th parliament as subversive (and its MPs saboteurs) are contained in this history-inspired news feature. The fact-packed political news feature chronicles the major legislature-related episodes that made Gen Museveni very frightened like never before.We are also chronicling the circumstances under which the 6th parliament came to be the most vibrant legislature in Uganda’s history. We also reflect on the different actors who took risk and did different things (behind the scenes) to make the Edward Sekandi-led legislature what it was. We are also reflecting on the context in which Young Parliamentary Association (YPA) and its successor PAFO were formed and died before fully accomplishing intended objectives all aimed at enacting into existence a vibrant legislature that would serve public interest while diminishing sycophancy in the ruling Museveni establishment.THE DETAILSAs we shall illustrate hereunder, it was a love-hate relationship between Gen Museveni and the 6th Parliament. Assertive and fearless MPs like Kashari County’s Maj John Kazoora and others became suspicious of Museveni’s intentions judging from the contemptuous attitude he had exhibited towards assertive delegates in the CA (1994-1995). Whereas the 1995 constitution envisaged an independent parliament and provided separation of powers, the Kazooras perceived Gen Museveni as one determined to utilize the Movement ideology’s numerical strength to compromise the entire legislature and kill its independence.Claiming rigging in 1996 presidential elections, conventional opposition groups boycotted the June 1996 Parliamentary elections. In the end, Museveni loyalists dominated the 6th parliament (1996-2001). They were 158 in a House of 276 MPs. There was a vacuum which had to be filled if the 1995 constitution framers’ intentions (of an independent/assertive legislature) were to be achieved. Maj Kazoora (who had been Museveni’s very influential PA in the early NRM years) and others plotted to act.One evening Kazoora sat at “House of Entertainment” where Norbert Mao joined him. They agreed to form YPA whose aim was to orient young and first term MPs who lacked institutional mentoring having come on individual merit. In the first week, 98 MPs signed up including Gilbert Bukenya, Ruth Nankabirwa, Sarah Kiyingi, Beatrice Kiraso, Beatrice Byenkya, Adolf Mwesige, Micheal Werikhe, Florence Naiga, Miria Matembe and others.On realizing he wasn’t likely to become YPA boss because of Kazoora’s insistence that they find more neutral persons, Mao became lukewarm and turned his back on YPA. Buikwe’s Kakoba Onyango became chairman with Naome Kabasharira (Kazoora’s eventual wife) deputizing him. Salaam Musumba became national coordinator. Each region had a coordinator and MPs would every weekend make group visits to each other’s respective constituencies.And while there, they would meet opinion leaders and fundraised for community projects besides engaging in civic education. YPA attracted a lot of press coverage and gained prominence. Its members became pace-setters and ministers began attending its mobilization visits even without invitation. In parliament, it would influence legislation and within no time it overshadowed the Movement Caucus that was seen as aimed as breeding Museveni sycophants. Gen Museveni eventually took note of YPA’s vibrancy and plotted fighting back. He eventually reacted apprehensively and plotted to obliterate YPA. Mulengera News investigations show that he would ring YPA members for meetings at State House Nakasero urging them to disband YPA and instead revitalize the Caucus. Adolf Mwesige, one of the excellent debaters of our time, was YPA chief legal brain.DANGLING GROCERIESOn failing to obliterate YPA, Gen Museveni deployed both stick and carrot. He made several members ministers such as Nankabirwa, Sarah Kiyingi, Matembe and others. For those who proved uncompromisable, the big man from Rwakitura moved to tackle them politically. False intelligence reports emerged that YPA was plotting to oust Museveni in 2001. What made it even worse was the conversation members had one evening as they travelled to Rwakitura to meet Museveni. They reflected on the post-Museveni era after 2001 and Mwesigwa Rukutana, then YPA member, floated Besigye’s name saying he would campaign for him if he came as President in 2001. This information reached Museveni and sources say the President became very nervous about a potential Besigye candidature yet YPA only grew stronger in Parliament; making Gen Museveni even more paranoid.FRONTING BUKENYATime came to change NRM Caucus leadership whereby Chris Mudoola and Steven Chebrot claimed to be fronted by State House and sought chairmanship for the caucus. YPA fronted Gilbert Bukenya who got landslide victory. Naturally Bukenya’s victory shocked Gen Museveni who previously didn’t know the Busiro North MP’s political weight. This victory and mobilization by YPA, says Kazoora, worried Gen Museveni who moved swiftly to woo Bukenya. He immediately crafted him into the political High Command of the Movement where historicals like James Wapakabhulo, Moses Kigongo, Eriya Kategaya and others sat. And while there, Bukenya became compromised and angry YPA members plotted to oust him from Caucus chair.However, Gen Museveni acted faster and appointed him Minister for Presidency. The YPA-Bukenya wedge escalated in 1999 when MPs pushed inclusion of Besigye’s critical paper on the agenda for discussion during a subsequent NRM caucus meeting. Museveni rang Bukenya ordering him to drop Besigye’s paper off the agenda. YPA members insisted Caucus was the right forum to discuss the paper since Museveni wanted Besigye court-martialed for using the wrong forum (the media). Bukenya dropped the paper, prompting YPA to fight him openly. Museveni emboldened Bukenya by making him Vice President years later. All this was happening during the life of the 6th Parliament (1996-2001).OTHER DYNAMICSAlthough Gen Museveni was to use Maj Roland Kakooza Mutale to fight many YPA members’ re-election in 2001, YPA did many other great things including inspiring Besigye’s 1999 paper bashing NRM. For instance YPA plotted the defeat of Museveni’s blue eyed boy Elly Karuhanga for the post of EALA. Karuhanga, who Gen Museveni wanted to be the pioneer EALA Speaker, was easily defeated by UPC’s Yona Kanyomozi who YPA MPs from Ankole vehemently supported. In one of the subsequent EALA-related meetings, Gen Museveni confessed that Kanyomozi was more informed on regional issues but demanded he denounces UPC first. The YPAs within the Ankole caucus maintained that yes he was UPC at one time but had helped many external wing members like John Wycliffe Kazoora (First Lady Janet Museveni’s very influential uncle) to escape assassination by Obote’s intelligence. They also reminded Museveni of the hundreds of Suzuki cars meant for the Obote II government which Kanyomozi diverted to boost then rebel NRA.All that notwithstanding, Gen Museveni didn’t easily take this defeat by YPA in favor of Kanyomozi to the total detriment of Elly Karuhanga, his very eloquent blue eyed boy from Nyabushozi. YPA also got MPs pass the Administration of Parliament Act of 1997 which created the Parliamentary Commission (PC). The PC gave Parliament financial and administrative autonomy which naturally displeased Gen Museveni and created bad blood. The Act made Parliament self-accounting getting funding directly from the consolidated fund rather than depending on the Museveni-led Executive. Salaam Musumba, Dan Wandera Ogaro and Capt Guma Gumisiriza were some of pioneer Parliamentary Commissioners; positions that were created under the new Act.Yet that isn’t all. YPA advocated for live Parliamentary coverage under the same Act and Gen Museveni didn’t like this one either as it created impetus for MPs to express themselves against Executive’s excesses in order to gain visibility in the media. YPA also got the 6th Parliament pass the Budget Act which empowered MPs to scrutinize central government budgets meaning the President’s way of spending was now subject to scrutiny by MPs. This curtailing of the executive’s powers naturally escalated bad blood too. The 6th Parliament, driven by YPA, also passed the Leadership Code Act which was a requirement under Article 233 of the 1995 constitution.The Act among other things compelled holders of public office to annually declare their wealth to the IGG. The Executive initially opposed this and Gen Museveni specifically wasn’t happy when it finally went through. Ex-Parliamentary Clerk Aineas Tandekwire one time gave an interview in his capacity as a leading authority on Commonwealth Parliamentary practice. In the interview, he disagreed with Gen Museveni’s description branding 6th parliament subversive. He was doing this when still the incumbent clerk to Parliament (then under Sekandi) and this too deepened the wedge between Gen Museveni and the 6th Parliament.Tandekwire’s comments prompted the Commonwealth Association of European Parliamentarians for Africa (AWEPA) to endorse YPA. AWEPA even recommended YPA to several embassies saying its assertiveness and advocacy activities were good for a Parliamentary democracy like Uganda. In the end, the AWEPA President was summoned by security and grilled during a subsequent visit to Kampala. YPA also moved Parliament to insist on environmental impact assessment before foreign investors would be cleared to engage in power generation projects at Karuma and Bujagali falls. PLANTING NRM REBELSA critical scrutiny of events as undertaken by Mulengera News further shows that the other reason why YPA unsettled Gen Museveni is because its activities emboldened dissenting views within the NRM Caucus. These rebel-minded NRM caucus members included Winnie Byanyima, Rukungiri’s Winnie Babihuga, Dr. John Nkuuhe, James Mwanda (PWDs), Bukanga County’s Nathan Byanyima, Emmanuel Ddombo, Rosette Ikole, Emmanuel Pinto, Beatrice Kiraso, Bernadette Bigirwa (RIP) and others. These liaised with opposition firebrands such as Cecilia Ogwal, Norbert Mao, Wagonda Muguli, Ben Wacha, Aggrey Awori, Okullo Epak, Dick Nyai, Okello-Okello and others to make it a vibrant Parliament.THE TINYE SAGAIt’s also true that Gen Museveni has never found justification as to why YPA leaders like John Kazoora and Bernadette Bigirwa persuaded Gen David Tinyefuza (now Sejusa) to appear before Defense and Internal Affairs Committee (on 29/11/1996) where he questioned Museveni’s leadership credentials as a General. The committee was probing why Kony war wasn’t ending and Tinyefuza humiliatingly claimed Museveni lacked political will to end the war. He said many terrible things, prompting Museveni to ponder court martialing him for treason and subversion.However, Tinyefuza ran to the Constitutional Court which ruled in his favor. Bart Katureebe, who was then Attorney General, convinced Gen Museveni that the State must appeal and the Supreme Court ruled against Tinyefuza who was to grass for many years on Katebe until Museveni rehabilitated him in 2001. A rehabilitated Tinyefuza addressed the 6th parliament claiming he had bashed Museveni under influence of witchcraft but God had finally redeemed him. He had previously likened returning to NRM to “a dog turning to eat its vomit.” THE GRAFT WARSThe 6th Parliament tortured and censured many Musevenist Ministers that were perceived to be corrupt. The first was Kirunda Kivejinja who, as works minister, had diverted 2,000 liters of fuel to personal use. Sarah Kiyingi led the censure process and the hitherto very adamant KK announced his resignation after just 100 signatures had been collected. He hid in Bugweri until the storm settled. Next was Jim Muhwezi whom MPs faulted for accumulating wealth which couldn’t be matched by his income (that time MPs earned less than Shs1m per month). He was also faulted for transacting multi-billion deals with Sudhir Ruparelia’s Meera Enterprises breaching UPDF rules which barred officers from trading with foreigners.Next was Sam Kutesa who was censured for conflict of interest regarding the way he acquired ENHAS when serving as investment minister. He was also accused of causing the national airline to lose $400,000 (less than Shs2bn) in what was written off as a bad debt. Nathan Byanyima and Emmanuel Ddombo led these two censure motions. Muhwezi’s attracted 200 signatures and Kutesa’s 158. President Museveni and Eriya Kategaya tried but failed to defend the two ministers before fire-breathing MPs. Both Muhwezi and Kutesa blamed Kazoora and Winnie Byanyima of fighting personal wars. There was also Specioza Kazibwe who the 6th Parliament MPs forced Museveni to drop as Agricultural Minister after Shs3.5bn meant for valley dams went unaccounted for. Mathew Rukikaire resigned after MPs unearthed fraud in the circumstances under which Greenland Bank (previously declared insolvent) had acquired UCB. THE WAPA SAGAWhen Gen Museveni moved James Wapakabhulo from being Speaker to NPC, YPA members secretly met him at Kampala Club and asked Wapakabhulo not to accept saying it was a ploy to undermine him politically. They told Wapa that Gen Museveni wasn’t acting genuinely and in god faith. Wapa later revealed everything to Museveni who summoned Kazoora and others to Gulu where he was overseeing war against Kony. Museveni was so angry; the MPs feared he would lock them up. Kazoora recalls that, though YPA prophesy on Wapa came to pass, the man from Rwakitura never forgave the YPA-driven 6th Parliament for this familiarity (as he called it in one of the subsequent meetings).Wapa was replaced as Speaker by Francis Ayume who YPA MPs undermined by overgrolifying Sekandi who was his Deputy. When time came to replace Ayume, YPA vehemently fronted Sekandi whom Gen Museveni initially opposed saying “he was too much of DP.” Mulengera News investigations show that Mwesigwa Rukutana, Kazoora and Bernadette Bigirwa (the Bushenyi AMP whose death paved way for Mary Karoro Okurut who famously told off Salaam Musumba for having kimansulo of the mouth) secretly met Sekandi and urged him to run for Speakership because of the impressive record he had built as Ayume’s deputy. Today Bernadette Bigirwa must be turning in her grave because of the way Sekandi (working with JPAM) eventually connived to kill the independence of Parliament.Besides fighting vibrant YPA members during the 2001 elections, Gen Museveni used Hope Mwesigye, Anifa Kawooya and Baguma Isoke to infiltrate and kill off what remained of YPA after 2001 elections (during the 7th Parliament 2001-2006). The founding YPA members, who had survived the Museveni onslaught during the 2001 elections which was on individual merit, regrouped at the dawn of the 7th Parliament and began the thinking process that evolved into formation of PAFO which Emmanuel Dombo and late Patrick Musisi headed. In full called Parliamentary Advocacy Forum, PAFO eventually merged with Besigye’s Reform Agenda and wealthy Chapa Karuhanga’s National Democrats Forum (NDF) to birth FDC in 2005.Eventually, during the 7th Parliament (2001-20906), the 3rd term-seeking Gen Museveni used his newly recruited spies like Emmanuel Dombo to frustrate PAFO throughout the mid-2000s. In the end, Gen Museveni prevailed because his yellow girls’ brigade (Anifa Kawooya, Hope Mwesigye, Karoro Okurut, Ruth Nankabirwa etc) counter-mobilized against the PAFO effort and had the Constitution amended to scrap term limits which enabled Gen Museveni (who should have retired after two terms under the original 1995 Constitution) to once again face off with Col Besigye during the very bruising 2006 general elections which Gen Sejusa claims the FDC founding President won only for his victory to be altered during a meeting at Basiima House outside Bulange Mengo where key intelligence chiefs converged to scrutinize every result before clearing the Badru Kiggundu-led EC to declare the same. Mulengera News will be running history-inspired series of this nature very frequently going forward. The idea is to deepen the populace’s understanding of our recent political history as a country. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).