Gov't has not cleared my hospital bills - Mao

By Nicholas Wassajja and David Lumu

DP party president Norbert Mao has refuted claims that government gave him sh300m to foot his medical bills.

Rumors have been making rounds in town that the DP party boss received money from certain circles in Government to clear hospital bills.

Speaking at Aga-khan hospital in Nairobi where he is undergoing treatment, Mao said that government has not officially offered a financial boost. Mao added that he is waiting for contributions from his party stewards and friends.

Quoting Mao verbatim, the DP vice president Richard Ssebuliba Mutumba said, “I talked to the president general yesterday morning and he categorically denied having received the sh300m that people claim the government advanced to him to foot his hospital bills. He doesn’t know about it, he has not received it.”   

Mutumba, who was addressing journalists at the party headquarters in Kampala, said that neither Mao’s family nor the DP secretariat has ever got money from the government to cater for Mao’s sickness.

“The rumor taking rounds that Mao got money to foot his hospital bills are false. As executive officials we have never received any money for such a purpose from the government. We may assume that it may have gone direct to his family but the family also dismisses the claim,” Ssebuliba said.

He however noted that when Mao was in a critical condition, he got assistance from close friends such as the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah, who contacted the UPDF to offer a helicopter that evacuated the DP president from Gulu to Entebbe Airport before he left to Nairobi for treatment.

Last month Mao was flown to Aga-Khan hospital in Nairobi to receive extra medical attention following malaria and serve chest pain attacks.

When asked if they are making any efforts as DP to assist Mao financially, Muntumba said:  “The fundraising coordinated by the secretary general Mathias Nsubuga is still on going and as soon as we raise something significant to assist, we shall send it.”

Ssebuliba also revealed that Mao was steadily recovering and he is expected back in the country soon after a bed rest.