Binaisa was a nationalist â€" Mushega
Aug 11, 2010
<br>THE former education minister and East African Community secretary general, Amanya Mushega, has praised former president, Godfrey Lukongwa Binaisa, saying he was a nationalist.
By henry mukasa
THE former education minister and East African Community secretary general, Amanya Mushega, has praised former president, Godfrey Lukongwa Binaisa, saying he was a nationalist.
“He was a nationalist. He was blamed for what some people have called the “infamous 1967 Constitutionâ€.
"But of all those who blame him, who has ever tried to bring back the 1962 Constitution?†Mushega asked in an interview with New Vision.
“At least when things did not work out well, he resigned as Attorney General and went into private practice. He was honest enough to say, ‘entebe ewooma’ (power is addictive).
“I remember shortly after he had been made president, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, Emmanuel Mutebile and I had a breakfast appointment with him at State House Entebbe. As young firebrands, we were telling him how governments should be honestly run. He simply told us: “So, like Caesar’s wife, I should be above suspicion,†Mushega narrated.
“He was a good listener. I had many conversations with him but the one I find relevant is when he returned in 2001. I was the minister of Public Service then. In a meeting with him, his daughter and Gordon Wavamuno, Binaisa presented a long list of demands.
I told him to pick the most urgent and important demands that the Government could meet immediately, and he agreed.
It was a fruitful meeting that laid a foundation for my future cordial chats with him,†he added.
THE former education minister and East African Community secretary general, Amanya Mushega, has praised former president, Godfrey Lukongwa Binaisa, saying he was a nationalist.
“He was a nationalist. He was blamed for what some people have called the “infamous 1967 Constitutionâ€.
"But of all those who blame him, who has ever tried to bring back the 1962 Constitution?†Mushega asked in an interview with New Vision.
“At least when things did not work out well, he resigned as Attorney General and went into private practice. He was honest enough to say, ‘entebe ewooma’ (power is addictive).
“I remember shortly after he had been made president, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, Emmanuel Mutebile and I had a breakfast appointment with him at State House Entebbe. As young firebrands, we were telling him how governments should be honestly run. He simply told us: “So, like Caesar’s wife, I should be above suspicion,†Mushega narrated.
“He was a good listener. I had many conversations with him but the one I find relevant is when he returned in 2001. I was the minister of Public Service then. In a meeting with him, his daughter and Gordon Wavamuno, Binaisa presented a long list of demands.
I told him to pick the most urgent and important demands that the Government could meet immediately, and he agreed.
It was a fruitful meeting that laid a foundation for my future cordial chats with him,†he added.