First son and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has alleged that the reason Igara West MP Michael Mawanda Maranga is in prison is not corruption but rather because he supports him.
MPs Mawanda, Paul Akamba and Wamakuyu Mudimi face charges of conspiracy to defraud government of more than Shs7.3bn for Buyaka Growers Cooperatives Society Limited in a broad investigation involving theft of billions meant for compensation of cooperative societies in Uganda.
But Muhoozi says Mawanda is being punished for supporting him. The Igara East MP is the Director of Mobilisation at the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), an organization of pushing for the Muhoozi presidency.
Muhoozi says there should not be any reason why MP Mawanda should be in prison yet people who are known to have dipped their hands and grabbed what belonged to tax payers are still comfortably holding government positions.
He has asked his father, President Yoweri Museveni, to consider the matter of Mawanda, whom he called a ‘political prisoner,’ and help him regain his freedom.
In his views, Gen Muhoozi believes that some players in his father’s ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) are behind Mawanda’s woes.
“My friend, Michael Mawanda, is in prison (and they think we shall stay quiet forever) while people who have stolen from this country for decades are still Ministers? Mzee should hear our cry for change,” wrote Muhoozi.
“Michael Mawanda, is a political prisoner. He was taken to prison by some politically dilapitated people in NRM for the ‘great crime’ of supporting Muhoozi Kainerugaba in Bushenyi. That’s his only crime. Supporting me. Free Mawanda!”
Gen Muhoozi has previously told his father he is tired of waiting forever for his father to hand over power to him. (See Details Here and There).
Read more about the cooperatives compensation scandal, including How Shs1bn Moved from Cooperative Bosses to Geraldine Ssali & Husband Victor Busuulwa via Centenary Bank Kabalagala Here and There.
