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They’re all picking up nomination forms, except my man Mutebile

Saturday July 04 2015

The news in Kampala these days is about people picking up forms. The forms are issued by registered political parties that will subject the applicant(s) to elections for their so-called flagbearer for the presidential election next year.

Today, those who have picked up these forms include one who said a few weeks ago he was taking a long, indefinite leave from politics, and another who said he would never contest under the current set-up until reforms to create a level ground are instituted.

A couple of others whose names you have never heard of also picked up forms. Meanwhile, in the big old ruling party, they are arguing about who shouldn’t pick up forms when the time comes.

Later, a couple of big names who will get their forms directly from the Electoral Commission to stand as independents. This will be after being denied forms by their parties or after losing the party nomination race, in what they will expectedly call a flowed process.

Whatever is motivating these few dozen guys, we pray, it is the national interest. Someone is yet to design a scientific test to establish who really wants to transform Uganda and who just wants power — not to mention the majority who just want a bargaining tool to up their price as they get bought out by one of the strongest two or three candidates.

But for me, the one man I would like to see picking up a form does not show any sign of interest.

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His name is Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile and he has not even resigned his job as central bank Governor, so the chances of his seeking a nomination are slim.

The reason I want Mutebile to stand for president is that his competence is right now more relevant to our 35 million people than the known competencies of the people who have so far picked up their forms.

He is rightly considered the father of Uganda’s fiscal and monetary reforms, reforms that have restored economic normalcy over the past two decades, but now seem to be running out of gas fast, for reasons that are outside his office. That is why he should take the biggest office so he can protect his reforms, in my view.

Consider this: Uganda imports about twice the value in goods and services than it exports. Since the year began, the shilling has been declining seriously against the dollar. Other world currencies have experienced the same thing but Uganda’s case seems unique. For the shilling is declining against the other currencies, especially the Kenya shilling.

Kenya is Uganda’s major trading partner/supplier. When the budget was read last month, there was no clear indication how the shilling’s free fall was to be tackled. It continued to tumble.

Now on the eve of the financial year last Tuesday, Mutebile appeared in public after a long time, with the other financial biggies, the minister and the Treasury secretary. We held our breath for his thoughts on the exchange rate. He said he would say nothing, to avoid fuelling speculation.

By the way, I cannot tell you what the shilling exchange rate is today because by the time you read this it will have changed. Mutebile needs more power.

Joachim Buwembo is a Knight International Fellow for development journalism. E-mail: [email protected]

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