Government Spokesperson Ofwono Opondo has criticised MPs for pretending to pay tribute to President Yoweri Museveni for his leadership in the prevention of Covid19 yet the same Parliament chaired by Speaker Rebecca Kadaga passed a motion to express displeasure in the head of state last week.
On May 12, Kole North MP Bony Okello moved a motion to pay tribute to President Museveni for his exemplary and visionary role in leading efforts in the prevention and management of Covid19 disease.
“The exemplary leadership of HE the President has seen Uganda become a beacon of hope in the fight against Covid19 and other deadly viruses and has mitigated the social and economic effects of the virus on Uganda compared to other countries which have all reported far worse Covid19 statistics, including infections and deaths compared to Uganda,” Hon Okello praised Museveni.
Most MPs agreed that Museveni should indeed be praised for being a visionary leader, a Pan-Africanist, Father of the Nation and Freedom Fighter as exhibited in his handling of the Corona crisis. A few like Kassiano Wadri of Arua Municipality said it was too early to appreciate Museveni for the successes made in the fight against Corona.
But Ofwono Opondo poured cold water on the MPs attempts to speak well of the President. Opondo was enraged when ICT and National Guidance Minister Judith Nalule Nabakooba informed her online audience about the issue, perhaps to show how Museveni was popular in Parliament contrary to the criticism from the House in the past few weeks.
“Parliament praises H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for being an exemplary leader in the fight against Covid19. Several legislators have taken to the floor of parliament to appreciate his selfless efforts in guiding citizens on how to avoid the pandemic,” wrote Minister Nabakooba.
But Opondo fired back at Nabakooba (Mityana Woman MP) and other MPs belonging to the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party for trying to redeem themselves after they supported a motion to express displeasure in the presidency last week.
“In shame, NRM MPs trying to be ‘smart’ after being out foxed by Ibrahim Ssemujju’s bogus motion last week,” Ofwono Opondo responded to Minister Nabakooba.
Last week, MP Ssemujju (Kira Municipality) moved a motion to “express displeasure” at President Yoweri Museveni’s “disparaging remarks” against the House in his April 28 Coronavirus address delivered at State House Nakasero in Kampala, and to advise the president to “always pen his disagreement(s) with Parliament instead of public insults.” But a few days after they expressed their anger at the president, the MPs have made a u-turn and praised the NRM Chairman, an action Opondo thinks is meant to appease Museveni, who the NRM MPs joined Ssemujju to humiliate only last week.
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