Kiggundu eyes politics after jail
By Siraje K. Lubwama
Dr. Sulaiman Kiggundu fresh from jail yesterday said he would join politics if government continues harassing him.The former managing director of the defunct Greenland Bank made the remarks at his late father’s home at Ntoromwe, Butambala in Mpigi, a few hours after his release from prison.
Kiggundu has been serving a civil jail term since June 17 for failure to pay about Shs 600m he owes his former bank.
“I only fight for developmental causes, I’m not a politician and I have never wished to be. I wish to continue to serve my nation economically without going into exile,” Kiggundu, also a former governor of Bank of Uganda said.
“But if they press me too hard to the wall, I will join politics,” Kiggundu told a big crowd which kept on chanting ‘Allah Akbar’ (God is great).
Kiggundu said that he was a resourceful person based in Nairobi, Kenya, in the National Resistance Movement of President Yoweri Museveni in the war that ousted Milton Obote.
He said, however, that he regretted having supported President Museveni.
“It would not have been Museveni to do this to me. I and people like Sam Njuba, Abu Mayanja left a fellow Muganda [Andrew] Kayira and decided to support Museveni not knowing that as usual we’re going to be used and then punished later,” said Kiggundu.
Kayira was the leader of Uganda Freedom Movement that fought alongside Museveni’s National Resistance Army to oust the government of Milton Obote.
He said before the closure of Greenland Bank, he and three other directors went to Rwakitura to meet Museveni and clarify on allegations that he was supporting Allied Democratic Front (ADF) rebel group and Sudan’s Hassan al Tourabi.
“I told Museveni that I have never dealt with Tourabi and that he does not even know me. Museveni who was annoyed seemed later to understand me. Little did I know that those surrounding him could confuse him again,” he said.
He said Greenland Bank was closed not because it was insolvent but because government was ! jealous of the Muslim and Buganda’s achievement that the institution represented.
“They first approached me and convinced me to buy Uganda Grain Millers. I mobilised Shs 4bn in a day. They later came back and told me there was a chance of buying Uganda Commercial Bank. I mobilised Shs 8bn in a month to save this bank from being bought by foreigners.
“I didn’t know that they were only tricking me to gauge my financial mobilisation power. They started lying to the president that if I can mobilise that huge sum of amount in such a short time, I could be a threat politically,” added Kiggundu.
Flanked by his lawyer Elias Lukwago, religious leaders, MPs and Prince David Wasajja who represented Kabaka Muwenda Mutebi II, Mengo minister and Reform Agenda vice national chairman Njuba, Kiggundu also attacked the current Governor of Bank of Uganda.
“It was in my view unfortunate for a sitting Governor to commit his predecessor to prison instead of allowing him time to clear his obligations, a privilege which many others have been allowed to enjoy,” he said in reference to the break Governor Mutebile gave the owners of the failed ICB.
Immediately after his release from Luzira prison at 9.30 a.m Kiggundu was received by hundreds of fans including Nkoba Z’ambogo youth from Makerere and Nkumba Universities who escorted him up to Butambala.
He made stop over at various trading centres where people chanted “Haji jangu wesimbawo,” obeewo, agende” (Hajji come and contest, he must go).
December 17, 2002 00:28:23
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