Amama Mbabazi wfie Jacqueline on what it means to lose power

The Minister of State for Gender, Labour and Social Development in charge of Elderly Affairs, Jacqueline Mbabazi, reflected on life before her husband, former presidential candidate Amama Mbabazi, lost his powerful position in government and what happened to their lives up to the point things became normal.

Amama Mbabazi was prime minister until 2014, when he announced his presidential bid in the 2016 election.

Below is her full testimony, transcribed from her speech during the 10-day Cabinet induction retreat for newly appointed and returning ministers at the National Leadership Institute (NALI) in Kyankwanzi.

I want to give a testimony about having power and losing it. I’m Jacqueline Mbabazi, the wife of former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi, Secretary General of the mighty party, and Super Minister, and member of the revolution right from the beginning. Many, everything.

I wake up in the morning, one morning, and all of a sudden, somebody is withdrawing the entire security. Oh my God. The cars are gone.

The children are running around asking what’s going on. You sleep in a home where you don’t even have a dog because you’ve never thought of owning one... Security gone. The former Prime Minister became the driver... I’m giving you the real-life experience. I used to shop in New York and London. And so many of you are thinking of shopping there... Now this lesson we have today, emotional intelligence, is extremely important. You will not believe that I had to go to Kihihi. Kihihi is a small town in Kanungu District. Find a tailor to make me some nice dresses. This is real.

But the beauty of it all is that I brought myself to that level. And I thank God for putting me at that level. When I started putting on my nice bitenges of 70,000 shillings.

And I was really very smart and happy. Hon Members, permanent secretaries, we also need to work on our families. When I was in that situation, I went to a small party.

And at that small party... family, family things. And I met there two nice kids. One was five years, another one was three.

And I asked them, oh, whose children are you? Cute girl. We are children of the minister, they said. Oh, which minister? You don’t know the minister? That statement by those kids disturbed me a lot.

As we look at ourselves, we need to look at our families also and bring them to that level. As we deal with our emotional intelligence, let’s also train our children.

Not to think that they are up there. Today, before I get more security, because now I’m minister, my security are two nice dogs. Two very good dogs.

And they have kept this security. There may be one policeman here, there, there. Not bothered, because these days you can get some that are not even good enough.

So, let’s also prepare for that life. And to assure you, I’m not back because I miss the past. I’m back because of the conviction to help some vulnerable older persons of this country.

Mine was only to share that little experience. Thank you so much.