FOREIGN POLICY UPDATE – Secrets Why M7 badly wants Uganda to get top OIC job

President Museveni is on diplomatic offensive and badly wants Uganda to produce the next Secretary General for the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC). Notwithstanding efforts by Saudi Arabia to vary the Charter and bring forward its term, there is general consensus amongst 57 OIC member states that the next Secretary General should come from Africa.

OIC comprises members from black Africa, Asia and Arab world: the SG job is held on rotational basis for four years. Museveni, who sometimes finds himself diplomatically isolated by what he calls bullies in EU and Arab League, sees OIC as an opportunity for Uganda to soar up its influence in diplomatic circles. At the time of writing this story, Museveni’s advance team was in Saudi Arabia ahead of the OIC Summit commencing on Tuesday. OIC membership comprises both Islamic and non Islamic countries like Uganda and Museveni was expected at the Tuesday Summit. Sources told us that other Sub Saharan African countries like Chad and Niger that were initially interested in the job have tasked Museveni to oversee Africa’s bid at the Summit to ensure the next OIC boss comes from black Africa.

M7’S CHOICE

We have seen correspondences showing Museveni has been doing his home work pretty well. As early as June 2011, Museveni galvanized cabinet to endorse former regional affairs minister Isaac Musumba as Uganda’s choice for the job. On June 23rd 2011, Museveni wrote to foreign affairs Minister Sam Kutesa directing him to market Musumba’s bid. Earlier on, Museveni had ordered Cabinet Secretary John Mitala to draft and circulate a cabinet position amongst all ministers and Uganda’s power brokers in diplomatic circles. Museveni’s latest effort is manifested in the June 15 2012 letter to Finance Minister Maria Kiwanuka ordering her to avail the necessary financial facilitation to delegations from line government ministries to visit several Arab capitals to market Musumba’s bid. In the 15/6/2012 letter, Museveni makes it clear that the Ministry of the Presidency, headed by his blue eyed boy Muruuli Mukasa, should oversee the Musumba campaign. This is meant to bring proximity and enable Museveni get involved in the project more closely. For purposes of financial prudence, Museveni orders Kiwanuka not to facilitate more than 2 persons from each of the line ministries to travel abroad to campaign for Musumba. Museveni’s letter also orders Kiwanuka to urgently pay Uganda’s membership subscription arrears of $0.5m ahead of the Tuesday Summit in Saudi Arabia. Museveni orders that delegations be facilitated “to visit as many Islamic Capitals as necessary to campaign for our candidate.” For purposes of Musumba’s orientation, Museveni uses the same letter to order his Ag PPS Grace Akello to prepare an instrument of appointment for “Hon Isaac Musumba to become my Senior Presidential Advisor on International Affairs concentrating on Islamic world.” Sources say Museveni is so passionate about the OIC project to the extent that he drafted this letter himself. It’s copied to Premier Mbabazi, Muruuli Mukasa, Public Service Ministry and Vice President Sekandi among others.

Inside story: sources revealed the reasons why Museveni is buoyed about OIC project. One is that he is convinced UPDF’s ability to pacify Somalia has created momentum and leverage which Uganda must use to blackmail OIC member states to prize it with the OIC job. It’s a lucrative job as the OIC SG is at the level of UN’s Ban Ki-Moon and Commonwealth Secretary General. In terms of membership, influence and resources, OIC is only rivaled by Commonwealth and UN. Museveni is sure heading OIC will give Uganda a voice in international politics. It’s also an opportunity for Museveni to reconcile with local Muslims in Uganda who continue to claim marginalization by NRM government. Only last week, we reported of determination by Muslim clerics led by Prince Kassim Nakibinge to ensure the Deputy ED at KCCA to deputize Jennifer Musisi is a Muslim. The latest development we have on that issue is that Muslim professionals have founded a pressure group to fight alleged political marginalization by NRM. Successfully marketing Musumba candidature will prove to skeptics in opposition that Museveni remains the most influential leader in Sub Saharan Africa. Current OIC SG, Ekmeledin Ilisanoghu, is from Turkey and his term ends in a few weeks time. Museveni knows that even if Musumba fails to get the SG job, Uganda will at least be consoled with the post of Deputy OIC Secretary General in charge of Africa and overseeing OIC activities in Geneva and New York. This rehabilitates Musumba besides appeasing his Basoga co-ethnics. It’s also an opportunity for Museveni to gradually reach out to Salaam Musumba (Isaac’s wife) who is a fierce critic of NRM. The momentum the OIC job creates for Uganda will also embolden Museveni ahead of his 5th term bid. That isn’t all. The OIC controls lots of resources including the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) which is among the largest and most liquid financial institutions in the world. With his loyal cadre Musumba calling shots at OIC, Museveni is sure to fill the funding gap likely to be created in future should the West protest his 5thterm by closing taps and stop funding Uganda’s projects.