Minister Amelia Kyambadde has won hearts of Uganda who are glued on televisions to watch president Yoweri Museveni regular addresses about Covid-19. She is trending with sweet comments about her attitude towards the common person.
The well viewed presidential addresses, usually take an unofficial aura with the president explaining issues he thinks are important using illustrations he believes can be well understood by common people. In the addresses, surrounded by selected ministers, the President usually seeks onspot clarifications from line ministries and reactions from ministers.
Two ministers have impressed Ugandans. Jane Ruth Aceng, the minister of health, for her being well informed, steadfastness, a stickler to detail and sobriety. The other is Amelia Kyambadde the minister for Trade and Industry.
Unlike Aceng, Amelia is not new to the public. For she has been around as long as Museveni has been a public official, having been the Ugandan leader’s private secretary since 1980 when Museveni was minister of defence in the transitional post Idi Amin governments. Amelia would assume the office of principal private secretary for President Museveni until she retired and joined competitive politics in 2011. She joined parliament as a representative for Mawokota North.
During the Lockdown, a number of measures have been put in place to contain and avert the covid19 pandemic. Most of these measures have been embraced by the general public.
With no size fits all, many people have also complained over the excesses use of enforcement to the measures.
In the President address which ministers either ask questions for guidance or comment on what is happening, Amelia Kyambadde has come out as the advocate for “omuntu wa wansi” or a common man.
Although one would assume that the woman has lived around power and opulence for the last three decades, she however sounds the champion for the voice of the common wananchi. It is likely this is an attribute that endears her to the president.
Recently, Amelia spoke for the mothers who do casual jobs around corporations categorized as essential services that President Museveni had asked to stay around the organisations they work for until the pandemic is defeated. It was Amelia to speak out that some of these women are actually single mothers, with small children back home who they come to the cities to toil for.
During Sunday address, April 19, Amelia struck again, asking Museveni to order his security officers to released bodabodas which had confiscated during operations after a 2pm curfew had been put on them. Museveni had explained that criminals were using boda bodas to terrorise the population, and stopping them had created some breathing space. However after review, the president said, bodabodas used for logistics can go on till 5pm. Amelia reminded the president that many of these machines were in police hands. She had earlier said that some donated food didn’t meet standards and therefore needed testing before handing it over to the needy masses.
The audience have therefore fallen in love with Amelia, not only for her accent, and well plaited hair, but for her views representing the common man.
Below are some comments picked from twitter.
I don’t support Nrm but I have developed a feeling this lady should be given another term,…she is bold and deep in her reactions,…I see she has great love for a common person on ground !!!
Amelia Kyambadde out here outshining her boss with a Good accent and straight to point submissions
We don’t deserve Hon Amelia kyambadde. This woman understands omuntu wa wansi
Amelia kyambadde is raising very critical issues but the way they are boxing her out.
The trade minister Honourable Amelia Kyambadde is not only beautiful despite her age. But she speaks good English. I also like the confidence she speaks with while addressing the President. Her idea of UNBS checking the food donated is a good one.#M7Address
Amelia Kyambadde doing the lord’s work in those addresses
Lady Amelia Kyambadde should unseat Kadaga oba adaaga biki from speaker of parliament #Block10bn
#AmeliaKyambadde is speaking sense upon sense in this #M7Address.
Amelia Kyambadde should also begin addressing us. She has an accent and is eloquent, doesn’t beat around the bush #M7Address
So where did Hon. Amelia Kyambadde plait her hair from yet salons are closed?
Hon. Amelia Kyambadde deserve a front seat everywhere.✅
What is it that the likes of Prime minister doing appearing on TV during the president’s address? It is only Amelia Kyambadde who should appear on TV with the president, the rest should be watching him from their homes on TV like us.
While I still wonder where Amelia Kyambadde made her hair form, I just want to applaud her for sticking oit for the common man. Webale kubelelamu omuntu wawansi.
Hon. Amelia Kyambadde to President Museveni: Thank you for extending the operating time for boda bodas and bicycles until 5:00 pm. However, their bikes were confiscated. President Museveni: Bikes that were confiscated will be returned.
This Amelia Kyambadde woman has got a problem. Every time the President gives a speech she is the one raising real issues and giving Mr. 1986 an indication of what is actually on the ground. Outsmarting other VIPs all the damn time. I think I like her very much.
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