Mark Bugembe, known to many as Buchaman, has been socially insignificant for more than 10 years.
Following his breakup with Bobi Wine and his Firebase Crew, where he served as vice-president of the ghetto, he made sporadic public appearances — at police stations — on several charges ranging from child neglect to fighting neighbors over meat.
Today, he is a key cog in the country’s politics. He is President Yoweri Museveni’s special adviser on ghetto affairs.
Although many assumed the appointment last week was done in the spur of the moment with cameras rolling, Buchaman reveals it is a serious appointment, which comes with its perks.
“I am waiting for my official appointment letter and a car to start my duties,” he reveals.
He reckons his immediate task at hand is to suppress Bobi Wine.
“Without me, NRM was not going to defeat Bobi Wine. I would like to thank President Museveni for appointing me as his adviser. I promise to be loyal. My brother, Bebe Cool, told me that Bobi Wine has one trick he uses to beat us, but I have 45 tricks to end Bobi Wine’s political fame,” he assured.
When he puts pen to paper, Buchaman will likely earn the salary of a cabinet minister. He and Catherine Kusasira, who has been appointed presidential adviser on Kampala affairs, take the number of advisers to 170.
The annual wage bill for catering for the advisers, according to the ministerial policy statement for the financial year 2017/2018, is sh29b.
This website understands that salary among presidential advisers varies. There are those who join the service with a salary that is personal to the holder. For example, a former minister, who gets appointed presidential adviser, is most likely to retain his salary.
However, according to sources in the Office of the President, some earn just a fraction of their colleagues’ net pay in terms of salary.
Buchaman is, however, not sure of his job description. Asked by a local radio station about his preparation for the task, he launched a tirade.
“I will not do anything. I am not in the NRM party. I am a ghetto president. Don’t ask me silly questions,” he said on phone, signing off with the patois curse word, Bomboclaat !
Buchaman later vowed on TV to arrest Bobi Wine if he continues calling himself ghetto president.
“Bobi Wine left and ignored the ghetto people. If he keeps calling himself ghetto president, it will be a mockery. I will arrest him as I have the powers,” he bragged.