CORRIDORS OF POWER
Mar 29, 2009
Polite Mafabi<br>- Public accounts committee chairman Nandala Mafabi is a humorous man. He knows when to relax the frayed nerves of government accounting officers, especially when he realises that they are tense and cannot answer questions directly. Whil
Polite Mafabi
- Public accounts committee chairman Nandala Mafabi is a humorous man. He knows when to relax the frayed nerves of government accounting officers, especially when he realises that they are tense and cannot answer questions directly. While meeting officials from Makerere University, Mafabi amused members when he advised the accountant to first go to his office to rest. “You are tense. Please first go to my office and remember the answers. You can also get a cup of tea,†he said. Sensing trouble, the accountant rejected the offer and pleaded for more time outside Parliament which he was later granted.
Part of agenda?
- It is well-known that foreign affairs minister Sam Kutesa and Ryemiyaga county MP Theodore Ssekikubo are not good friends. However, according to Kutesa, this is not good. In an effort to make ammends, Kutesa, hoping to get a smile from his ‘enemy’ responded to questions concerning the reasons Ugandans abroad cannot vote by saying: “If you asked people like Ssekikubo, he would tell you that we have problems of voting within, how then can we include people from outside?†he asked. Amused, Ssekikubo asked: “Is that part of the agenda?†causing laugher in the room.Â
Expert Bitamazire
- Education minister Namirembe Bitamazire is not an engineer but she can tell shoddy construction work, courtesy of the many years sÂpent at the ministry. “How?†One may ask. Well, Bitamazire simply puts on high-heeled shoes and then tests whether the ground can stand her shoes. While officiating at the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of Shimoni Training College in Wakiso, Bitamazire said: “I have now gained experience. I can tell shoddy work by just using my high-heeled shoes,†as she demonstrated to the students and teachers. Contractors, stand warned.
Pleading PS
- If you want to find out whether something is amiss, find an accounting
officer who has just been appearing before a committee in parliament and ask for his name. One permanent secretary of a prominent ministry amused journalists at Parliament when they asked for his name. “Why do you want my name? You now want to go and spread my weaknesses in the public? Please spare me the embarrassment,†he said. Unfortunately, the journalists went ahead and checked in the visitors’ book and got his name.
- Public accounts committee chairman Nandala Mafabi is a humorous man. He knows when to relax the frayed nerves of government accounting officers, especially when he realises that they are tense and cannot answer questions directly. While meeting officials from Makerere University, Mafabi amused members when he advised the accountant to first go to his office to rest. “You are tense. Please first go to my office and remember the answers. You can also get a cup of tea,†he said. Sensing trouble, the accountant rejected the offer and pleaded for more time outside Parliament which he was later granted.
Part of agenda?
- It is well-known that foreign affairs minister Sam Kutesa and Ryemiyaga county MP Theodore Ssekikubo are not good friends. However, according to Kutesa, this is not good. In an effort to make ammends, Kutesa, hoping to get a smile from his ‘enemy’ responded to questions concerning the reasons Ugandans abroad cannot vote by saying: “If you asked people like Ssekikubo, he would tell you that we have problems of voting within, how then can we include people from outside?†he asked. Amused, Ssekikubo asked: “Is that part of the agenda?†causing laugher in the room.Â
Expert Bitamazire
- Education minister Namirembe Bitamazire is not an engineer but she can tell shoddy construction work, courtesy of the many years sÂpent at the ministry. “How?†One may ask. Well, Bitamazire simply puts on high-heeled shoes and then tests whether the ground can stand her shoes. While officiating at the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of Shimoni Training College in Wakiso, Bitamazire said: “I have now gained experience. I can tell shoddy work by just using my high-heeled shoes,†as she demonstrated to the students and teachers. Contractors, stand warned.
Pleading PS
- If you want to find out whether something is amiss, find an accounting
officer who has just been appearing before a committee in parliament and ask for his name. One permanent secretary of a prominent ministry amused journalists at Parliament when they asked for his name. “Why do you want my name? You now want to go and spread my weaknesses in the public? Please spare me the embarrassment,†he said. Unfortunately, the journalists went ahead and checked in the visitors’ book and got his name.