Mao recuperating, says DP boss

By Umaru Kashaka  

KAMPALA - Democratic Party (DP) president general Nobert Mao is receiving treatment for pneumonia – a lung infection – at a hospital in neighboring Kenya.

DP secretary general, Mathias Nsubuga, told reporters on Thursday that their party leader is admitted at Nairobi Hospital.

The political party, the oldest in Uganda, has dispelled rumors that have been circulating in some sections of local media that Mao, 47, was poisoned and in very bad health.

Nsubuga, who is the MP for Bukoto South, told journalists at Parliament that such information was “wrong”.

“I talked topPresident Mao yesterday [Wednesday] evening for about 30 minutes and he is not terribly sick or dead as some media houses have reported. You [journalists] should stop these alarming reports which are not true.”

Pneumonia, which is an inflammatory condition of the lung, is said to be usually caused by infection with viruses or bacteria. Common symptoms may include cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty in breathing.

DP secretary General Mathias Nsubuga has dispelled "wrong" media information on Nobert Mao's health

‘Stop telling lies’

Daniel Kidega, a member of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) was at the press briefing as well.

He hailed the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah and the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen. Katumba Wamala for airlifting Mao from Lacor hospital in Gulu to Entebbe airport to catch the flight to Nairobi.

In an earlier press conference on Tuesday, Nsubuga had said Mao was flown to Nairobi on Friday to seek better medical attention after a malaria attack and severe chest pains.

“We had a rally in the north last week, after which the president developed malaria. He was rushed to Lacor hospital where the doctors advised us to take him to Kenya for specialized treatment,” he had said.

“His body failed to respond to medication as his condition worsened, prompting the family to fly him to Kenya for better medication.”