President Museveni’s appointment of Muhammad Baswale Kezaala, the Democratic Party National chairman as Deputy Ambassador has drawn sharp criticism from Uganda’s oldest party with many calling it a move to weaken and fail the party.
The former mayor of Jinja Municipality who last year lost the mayoral seat to his seat to perennial rival, NRM’s Majid Batambuze was on Friday appointed as the deputy Ambassador to a yet to be designated place which has not been welcomed by the party which he heads.
Many DP supporters and sympathizers have taken to the social media to express their discomfort with Mr Kezaala taking up the offer.
And the party’s youth wing, the Uganda Young Democrats (UYD) have given Kezaala 24 hours to resign over his manipulation by ‘dictator’ Museveni.
“We demand that Kezaala clarifies [on his appointment] in 24 hours else UYD will demand that he resigns because we believe that the struggle to free our people from misrule of the dictatorship is paramount and superior than a mere ambassadorial appointment,” secretary general Charles Wasswa said.
He has promised to address the press very soon to mention his stand in relation to the ongoing calls for him to resign.
Kezaala, who has for over 14 years been a key figure in the politics of Jinja, has in the past fought many political battles between him and some local leaders of the NRM party in Jinja.
Besides his appointment, others under spotlight are the His Highness Gabula William Kyabazinga of Busoga, Ruth Aceng, Kezaala, a former stalwart of the UPC party was rejected by the vetting committee when she was appointed a minister in the recent cabinet reshuffle and Dr Crispus Kiyonga is blamed for being behind the recent troubles of Rwenzururu kingdom.
READ: Busoga furious over Kyabazinga’s appointment as Ambassador
The Kyabazinga is said to have reportedly held discussions with President Museveni before the monarch was appointed an envoy, according to Kampala Affairs Minister Beti Kamya.
Kamya argued that the Busoga king “will have to abdicate the throne to take up the ambassadorial post.”
“It would be unconstitutional for the Kyabazinga to run both offices,” the minister added.
Busoga loyalists are expected to criticise Kyabazinga’s move to forfeit his throne for a ambassadorial appointment.
