Former FDC Strong MP Appointed As Commissioner For Cooperatives Weeks After Defecting To NRM , Regrets The 20 Years He Spent With Besigye

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has appointed Odo Tayebwa, the former legislator for Ishaka Municipality, as the commissioner for cooperatives in the Ministry of Trade, Industries, and Cooperatives.

Odo, a renowned ex-supporter of the Opposition Forum for Democratic Change party, represented Ishaka Municipality in the 9th Parliament. He recently defected to the ruling NRM after serving the opposition for more than 20 years.

Odo’s crossing shows the uncertain future surrounding the opposition parties and politics in Uganda, as well as the hope people still have in the NRM headed by President Museveni.

Odo is one of the few opposition diehards who were least expected to abandon the struggle and join the regime, which he had been opposing for over 20 years.His immediate appointment as a commissioner is a sign of Museveni’s tolerance and good leadership.

“Continued disagreements in opposition reflect a sign of intolerance and selfishness by the opposition leaders. We have witnessed how FDC has disintegrated over minor issues,” said Haningtone Muhanga, a popular FDC supporter in Rukungiri district.

Muhanga said the continuous display of selfishness and intolerance by opposition parties and their leaders has won the NRM more credibility.Odo’s defection from FDC is not the first time an opposition diehard is joining the ruling party.

It should be noted that the current speaker of Parliament, Anita Annet Among, and her deputy, Thomas Tayebwa, were also staunch FDC supporters.

However, when contacted to confirm the media reports about his appointment, Tayebwa denied receiving any communication from MTIC, or an appointment letter from MTIC, or Office of the President.

“News of my appointment is all over social media and I have been called by several people but I have not received any form of appointment. And I cannot speak on speculations,” Tayebwa said in an phone interview with the corporater news.

If is true that Tayebwa has been appointed Assistant Commissioner of Cooperative Development in MTIC, then joins at a time when Shs 164 billion corruption scandal continues to tarnish the image of the ministry that was supposed to compensate cooperatives that lost their properties during the political instabilities.

Apollo Kakonge Lee, Executive Director, Western Ankole Civil Society Forum [WACSOF] and a stakeholder in Greater Bushenyi was doubtful whether Tayebwa would add anything good to MTIC, and Museveni’s government.

“I don’t think he will change anything. The current government is not one to trust on anything, and especially that this one is a political appointee,” Kakonge noted.

Leaders of the FDC Katonga Faction led by Guma Gumisiriza, the party chairman in Bushenyi noted that Tayebwa has been working with the NRM.Midrag Kamadi and Rosemary Fangure, senior leaders of the FDC also alleged that Odo Tayebwa has been trying to kill the party in the district.

“We are still strong as FDC in Bushenyi and therefore, Odo’s crossing to NRM is minor issue. He no longer was important in the politics of Bushenyi,” said Guma.

Meanwhile, members of FDC in Bushenyi have replaced Tayebwa with Denis Twahika Enjoki as the Acting District Party Spokesperson.