Man poses as Museveni
Jun 25, 2009
A 21-year-old man suspected to have impersonated President Yoweri Museveni and other top government officials has been arrested by the Joint Anti-Terrorism Task Force.
By Josephine Maseruka
A 21-year-old man suspected to have impersonated President Yoweri Museveni and other top government officials has been arrested by the Joint Anti-Terrorism Task Force.
The man, whose identity was not revealed, was arrested on Tuesday and is still being interrogated by the Police, according to Tamale Mirundi, the presidential press secretary.
Tamale yesterday told journalists at the Media Centre that the man admitted to having impersonated several other senior managers, diplomats and political leaders to get money and jobs for various people.
“He told the Police that he had helped about 100 people to get jobs. He said most of them are now employed in the Uganda Revenue Authority,†Tamale explained.
Tamale said the suspected impostor was arrested after he imitated the President’s voice and called Emmanuel Katongole, the managing director of Quality Chemicals.
“This man perfected the art of imitating people’s voices. He first pretended to be the President’s Aide de camp, Col. Wilson Mbedi and told Katongole that the President wanted to talk to him,†Tamale narrated.
Later the suspected impostor allegedly imitated the President’s voice and told Katongole that he (Museveni) wanted to meet him and his executive following The New Vision story which said the Government was no longer interested in buying the companies’ ARVs.
Katongole went to State House with the company chairman, but the State House officials were not aware of the meeting.
Katongole said he became suspicious when the caller told him to “leave behind the director for finance in case the President needed some thingâ€.
He added that it was then that State House security took over the matter.
Tamale said the impersonator had also admitted to conning several people including generals in the army and ministers.
In a surprise twist, Tamale argued that the impostor was part of “a political strategy by the opposition†to discredit the President and State House.
“The only way to tarnish the President’s image is to impersonate him or State House or to evict people which the President is against. Why don’t we hear of people impersonating the Cardinal or other big people?†Tamale asked.
He said State House had fought masqueraders before, adding that impostors get off the hook due to weak laws.
But UPC leader Miria Obote rubbished Tamale’s accusation, saying as a leader, the President must know that he has enemies within the party and outside.
“We are all leaders and we have enemies within and out as well. I don’t think impersonators are of the opposition’s making,†she said.
A 21-year-old man suspected to have impersonated President Yoweri Museveni and other top government officials has been arrested by the Joint Anti-Terrorism Task Force.
The man, whose identity was not revealed, was arrested on Tuesday and is still being interrogated by the Police, according to Tamale Mirundi, the presidential press secretary.
Tamale yesterday told journalists at the Media Centre that the man admitted to having impersonated several other senior managers, diplomats and political leaders to get money and jobs for various people.
“He told the Police that he had helped about 100 people to get jobs. He said most of them are now employed in the Uganda Revenue Authority,†Tamale explained.
Tamale said the suspected impostor was arrested after he imitated the President’s voice and called Emmanuel Katongole, the managing director of Quality Chemicals.
“This man perfected the art of imitating people’s voices. He first pretended to be the President’s Aide de camp, Col. Wilson Mbedi and told Katongole that the President wanted to talk to him,†Tamale narrated.
Later the suspected impostor allegedly imitated the President’s voice and told Katongole that he (Museveni) wanted to meet him and his executive following The New Vision story which said the Government was no longer interested in buying the companies’ ARVs.
Katongole went to State House with the company chairman, but the State House officials were not aware of the meeting.
Katongole said he became suspicious when the caller told him to “leave behind the director for finance in case the President needed some thingâ€.
He added that it was then that State House security took over the matter.
Tamale said the impersonator had also admitted to conning several people including generals in the army and ministers.
In a surprise twist, Tamale argued that the impostor was part of “a political strategy by the opposition†to discredit the President and State House.
“The only way to tarnish the President’s image is to impersonate him or State House or to evict people which the President is against. Why don’t we hear of people impersonating the Cardinal or other big people?†Tamale asked.
He said State House had fought masqueraders before, adding that impostors get off the hook due to weak laws.
But UPC leader Miria Obote rubbished Tamale’s accusation, saying as a leader, the President must know that he has enemies within the party and outside.
“We are all leaders and we have enemies within and out as well. I don’t think impersonators are of the opposition’s making,†she said.