Salaam Musumba''s blood is blue not "yellow"

trueBy Kasibin Francis Mutaka

Early this year, I was in State House Entebbe to take minutes of a delegation that was meeting President Museveni and guess who I saw there... Salaam Musumba, the L.C V chairperson, Kamuli District.

I had heard of her dealings with President Museveni but I didn't know she was as well privately making visits to State House.


Later, I had private discussions with some friends and I understood the reasoning of her sense of judgment. Salaam Musumba has previously been a critic of President Museveni and any opposition member who has close links with him!


Her recent appearance in the Vatican a long side President Museveni and his delegation has left many wondering if she has crossed to NRM. No. Salaam Musumba, I believe strongly,  is pure FDC. She is a historical founding member and still the vice chairperson Eastern region.

Her going to the Vatican, began by receiving a call from state house officials who told her that they had instructions to inform her that she had been nominated to travel with Museveni to meet the Pope. According to her, she received the news with pleasure.

Although she agreed, she has previously turned down the President’s requests to her to be part of delegation to some countries. On the Vatican trip, it should be noted that she is also a staunch catholic and she has met all the other Popes in her life. Therefore, she couldn't miss the once in a while chance to meet for the first time the current Holy Father.

I was hosted live on capital radio in October 2013 and when asked what I look forward to in my nearby future, without hesitation, I said I would like to meet my namesake Pope Francis and have always been at the Vatican Embassy in Mbuya to discuss modalities of meeting the Pope. Therefore, for Salaam Musumba to have turned down such an opportunity that almost everyone looks to, would tantamount to betraying her faith.

To those criticising the yellow coloured outfit that she wore, yellow and white are the Vatican colours. They Biblically symbolise the "the land of honey (yellow) and milk (white) that was promised to the Israelites by God. Let’s thank Salaam for exporting the Uganda cultural dress code of a gomesi to the Holy land and for bringing to FDC, opposition and Uganda at large the special blessings from Pope Francis I. The Pope gave Salaam a gift of a rosary.

The writer is a publisher, editor, writer and a community development officer.