Kiwanda, Muyingo reportedly lobbying to replace Vice President Ssekandi

Ministers John Chrysostom Muyingo and Godfrey Kiwanda Ssubi are said to be lobbying to replace Vice President Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi, Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze has claimed.

Ssekandi has served as Uganda’s Vice President since 2011.

Prior to his elevation as the country’s number two, Ssekandi was speaker of Parliament.

With reports swirling around that President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni is planning to relieve Ssekandi of his duties, some top politicians from Central region have reportedly been positioning themselves to replace the elderly VP.

According to Nambooze, junior tourism minister Kiwanda and junior education minister for higher education Muyingo are lobbying for the vice president job.

Nambooze made the allegations at the tail end of Tuesday night NBS Barometer show.

Seated next to Kiwanda, Nambooze claimed Kiwanda and Muyingo were eyeing the job.

“Kiwanda here was told that Museveni would like to hire a youthful politician as vice president,” said Nambooze.

“He is busy lobbying and positioning himself but I want to assure him he will return here with that job.”

But assuming a combatant tone, Kiwanda told off Nambooze to “stop spreading baseless lies aimed at causing a rift between me and minister Muyingo.”

Kiwanda, the ruling NRM vice chairperson for the central region (Buganda) also claimed Nambooze was lobbying NUP leader Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine for the leader of opposition in Parliament (LoP).

“Nambooze heard that NUP and Kyagulanyi were looking for a woman suitable for the leader of opposition job,” submitted Kiwanda, attempting to counter Nambooze’s allegations.

Ssekandi, Muyingo and Kiwanda won’t be returning to Parliament.

While some thought Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga would follow in her predecessor Ssekandi’s footsteps and take up the vice president job, the Kamuli Woman MP announced she would seek a third term at the helm of the House.

Kadaga: Why I don’t want to be Museveni’s Vice President

Meanwhile, the Museveni government has denied the president has offered Kadaga the VP job.

Museveni yet to offer Kadaga Vice President job