Shoud we say that controversial former Senior Presidential Press Secretary Joseph Tamale Mirundi and Agriculture Minister Frank Tumwebaze have finally buried the hatchet?
Well the answer may be a yes or a no.
The two arch-rivals on Saturday displayed a nice gesture by hugging themselves after some good years of not seeing eye to eye.
This incident happened during First Son Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s 48th Birthday bash that happened at Lugogo Cricket Oval.
After the hug, the two posed for a photo amid chants from fellow party goers.
Click on link to see video:
https://youtube.com/shorts/JF0_E6CGzgg?feature=share
Over the years, Mirundi-a political analyst has been accusing Tumwebaze of being among the people behind his sacking from State House and being part of a powerful mafia clique that has done more harm than good in making his life miserable in Uganda.
In 2020, the motor-mouthed senior presidential advisor on media issues named six of his enemies (including Tumwebaze) who were working around the clock to ensure that he is no more.
Although Mirundi said his differences with the six people were irreconcilable, and because they humiliated him, he didn’t state the genesis of his fights with them since all seem to come from different walks of life.
Other enemies he named include; Gen Proscovia Nalweyiso, Col Edith Nakalema, Andrew Mwenda, Independent magazine publisher, Robert Kabushenga, Vision Group Chief executive and Geoffrey Kulubya, Bukedde newspaper managing editor.
Early this year, Tumwebaze, the former Minister for Presidency disclosed that Mirundi can continue defaming him if he earns a living out of it.
The Kibale East Member of Parliament noted that Mirundi has been attacking him over the years but he has failed to understand his motive and gains.
“A Note to my friends, supporters, allies & comrades: Many of u call me quite often with a lot of concern about the perennial attack on my person by a one Tamale Mirundi with all sorts of weird & malicious utterances. I acknowledge ur concern and thank you. While I do not know honestly what drives and motivates his smear/ hate laced campaign against me (which started in 2012 when I was first appointed minister), I have chosen to give him a contempt card just like I do to all ‘PHD’ schemers and malice vendors,” Tumwebaze tweeted.
The Minister added that his friends and relatives have on several occasions advised him to talk to the veteran journalist and if it means settling him in any way, he should do so.
“Many of my friends have advised me to call and talk and ‘sort’ him by meeting some of his demands ( as I am told apparently many of his victims do) BUT I have rejected Blackmail and given him a go-ahead to insult me indefinitely. If attacking me gives him a living, then let him profit! I have also refused to waste time with defamation suits. I don’t have time to be diverted. To those who use him; plz note that u can never destroy the destinies of self-made people however much u invest in ‘PHD’ schemes, just be aware! God will fight for us!! PHD= Pull him down. A very common syndrome in our set up employed mainly by the insecure and weak-minded against those they perceive as competitors or threats to their positions/ power.”
Mirundi has been attacking Tumwebaze for over a decade now.
In one of his talk shows, Mirundi accused Minister Tumwebaze of conniving with other people in government to stop radios and televisions from hosting him because his shows were exposing the dirty linen of some big fish in government (including Tumwebaze).
Mirundi also alluded that Tumwebaze is one of the people who facilitated his sacking from State House by doctoring a recording that implicated him in abusing the First Lady Janet Kataha Museveni.
Appearing on Pearl FM, the controversial political commentator claimed that Tumwebaze and his sister-in-law also permanent secretary to the Health Ministry Dr Diana Atwiine fell out with embattled Executive Director of Mulago National referral hospital Dr Byaruhanga Baterana because of the ownership of the Mulago hospital mortuary which he tried to block from getting owned by ‘Mafia group’.
Mirundi added that the duo is also in the human organs extraction industry whereby they connive with doctors to deliberately cause the death of manageable patients with an intent to obtain organs.
“Baterana is being fought by Tumwebaze and his in-law Atwiine. These people took over ownership of the Mulago mortuary and Baterana tried to meddle and that’s why he’s being fought,” Mirundi stressed.
“Tumwebaze and his group connive with doctors to prescribe wrong drugs to the patients. These wrong drugs work as catalysts that speed up the death of patients. The Tumwebaze group then extracts organs from the bodies in the mortuary before submitting them (bodies) to relatives. They wrap these bodies so that even families don’t realize that their people have missing body parts,” he explained.
Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
