In her book, The Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Betrayed, Miria Matembe revealed that in one of their Ankole caucus meeting when she was still part of National Resistance Movement, Museveni made some "shocking" revelations and I quote:
"This Kazibwe, you think she is a Vice President? How? What can she do? By appointing her, I kill many birds with one stone; the Basoga love me and think I'm good because I have appointed one of their own as Vice President; the Catholics support me because I've appointed a Catholic as VP; the women, like Matembe here, are appeased and think I have done wonders. But surely, what can Dr Specioza Kazibwe do?"
Further still, Museveni noted:
"Look at Jeje Odongo, does he think he is an army commander? What army does he command? He cannot even transfer a section commander -- the lowest commander. But when he goes to Teso with mounted Jeeps, the people of Teso think their son has power, but where is it?"
Museveni stretched his ridicule to David Pulkol, the then Director of the External Security Organisation:
"Look at this Karamajong; does he also think he gathers intelligence? When he goes in a helicopter and it lands and the Karamajong clamor to look at it, they are happy because their son is powerful."
When John Kazoora and Miria Matembe expressed disapproval of Museveni's nature of politics, he sarcastically laughed at them and told them that he had gathered them to teach them how to manage politics. He told Matembe that she was just a novice who didn't understand politics.
Ruhakana Rugunda wasn't spared the mockery too. "Look at this Rugunda. Just posturing: Ndugu, ndugu. Turabahereza amashanyarazi" (we shall give you electricity). Do people eat electricity?"
It's axiomatic that Museveni has, for a very long period of time, put political and social accountability above meritocracy. And going by recent appointments of "fishermen" (as he loves to call them), you can see that Museveni still subscribes to his political philosophy in respect with governance. The aforementioned words of Museveni, as quoted by Matembe, are chilling but when one considers reality -- that Ugandans are more interested in being represented than being served -- you get to understand him better.
When you see Acholi MPs reducing legitimate concerns of Ugandans surrounding the Jacob Oulanyah flight to a regional issue, you get tempted to rate Museveni as a political philosopher-king.
If MPs -- who are well educated, civically competent and well travelled -- find it necessary to defend the Oulanyah flight on flimsy grounds of kinsmanship, what should be expected of peasants who have never crossed even two districts from their areas of residence?
One may argue, as Dr Muniini Mulera did in his column with Daily monitor, that it's possible to find competent individuals for every job in every region. Muniini could be right but if one is seeking for true political and social accountability, the social status of the person to be appointed greatly matters. And a high social status isn't necessarily synonymous with competence in a specific task.
If Museveni goes for a bank Managing Director from Stanbic Bank and appoints them for a "juicy" office, such an appointment may not serve the political and social purpose as effectively as that of a popular political figure such as Robbinah Nabbanja or Kato Lubwama.
So, if one is seeking for true social and political accountability, Kato Lubwama can outcompete Anne Jjuuko, the Stanbic Bank CEO for a job. That's the ugly reality of democratic politics in a multi-ethnic society.