Corridors of power

Oct 21, 2009

<b>Mao’s rich CV </b><br>Gulu chairman Norbert Mao has acquired a new title. How did he acquire it? In September, he shook hands with Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi at Kitovu Cathedral in Masaka and has not forgotten about it.

Mao’s rich CV
Gulu chairman Norbert Mao has acquired a new title. How did he acquire it? In September, he shook hands with Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi at Kitovu Cathedral in Masaka and has not forgotten about it. A week ago when he attended the Uganda Local Government Association meeting at Najjanankubi he introduced himself as ‘Oweki’ Norbert Mao. Local government officials being curious asked him what ‘Oweki’ meant and he replied:
“Ever since I shook the Kabaka’s hand I have become a Muganda official so I am Ow’ekitiibwa which is a title for Honourable.”
Norbert, that is a good addition to your CV as 2011 rolls along. Well done.

EC defended
Commissioner Tom Baruku of the Electoral Commission (EC) is a good advocate. On Tuesday, at a civic education workshop in Ntinda, he told participants that the EC does not favour the NRM. “It was the Electoral Commission officials who insisted that Col Kizza Besigye be nominated while in Luzira prison because the Constitution regards a suspect innocent until proven guilty. Why do Ugandans easily forget?” he quipped. He also rubbished claims that EC officials should resign. “If we resign, will it stop the 2011 elections from taking place? We shall not resign because we are people of integrity,” he concluded.

Blunt priest
The Rev. Newton Kutosi of Mbale Church of Uganda does not mince his words. On Tuesday at a civic education workshop in Ntinda, he questioned the logic of sending MPs to Ghana to learn about how Ghana has successfully held general elections. He said: “Those trips are programmed against the truth because we lost nationalism and we are more interested in individualism. Knowing the truth is one thing and practising it is another. Those who went to Accra will use the truth to serve individual interests and not for national benefit.”

Politics in pulpit
The director of the Inter- Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU) programmes, Johnson Masiko, is a very strict man. Stressing a point on self-control and impartiality to trainers of trainers, he cautioned them against campaigning for any political party in the pulpit. “Whoever feels he can’t distance himself from that impartiality, declare now before we give money at lunchtime.” Masiko told the trainers who included religious leaders from IRCU member churches across the country. Nobody responded.

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