Why does Beti Kamya always have a case to answer?
THERE is something about Beti Olive Namisango Kamya Turomwe, that keeps her ‘making controversial comments. Some people say it has something to do with her way of thinking. One would not be surprised at Kamya’s regular fall outs with the law. If you consider the meaning of her clan name — Nami
By Joshua Kato
THERE is something about Beti Olive Namisango Kamya Turomwe, that keeps her ‘making controversial comments. Some people say it has something to do with her way of thinking. One would not be surprised at Kamya’s regular fall outs with the law. If you consider the meaning of her clan name — Namisango! It means a woman with so many cases to answer.
For the record, no national issue comes and goes without the Rubaga North MP making a comment. From Mabira to CHOGM, the Kayiira report and land issues, are some of the issues Kamya has felt the urge to say something — something that will ‘add value’ as she normally puts it.
On some occasions, she has even crossed the line, from her side of the political divide and hobnobbed with the ‘giants’ from the side that is supposed to be her ‘enemy’, take the time when she invited General Salim Saleh to launch her Bonnabagaggawale scheme, instead of (according) to members of her FDC party — Colonel Kizza Besigye, the party president.
She has also numerously attended functions in her homeland Rakai, organised for Vice-President Gilbert Bukenya.
Is it because of political ambition, that she is once again in ‘hot soup’ for among other reasons, deluding and annoying the name of the President. She has already appeared in court over the issue.
Kamya, a native of Kooki in Rakai district, often speaks like a princess. Even when angry, she never expresses it in her voice. She has banged a few tables at press conferences, but not with a raised voice.
She qualified with a Bachelors Degree in Economics from Makerere University in the late 70s and soon after started working at the Uganda Leather and Tanning Industry as a sales and marketing officer, from 1980 to 1991. She moved to Nyanza Textiles from 1991 to 1993 before joining Uganda Breweries as a marketing manager from 1993 to 1999.
Kamya rose through civil service and became director Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) from 1999 to 2004, when she resigned the job, to engage in politics.
In 2001, she was among the very first people to join the former Reform Agenda now FDC. However, she remained director of UWEC, for another three years, even when her political inclination was anti-government. Later Kamya resigned. But people claim she resigned because she was about to be pushed by the Government from the job.
Some of her fellow members in the party have often had suspicions that Kamya dines with a different political group during the day and another at night, this incidentally may not be true, given the unwavering spirit she has when fighting the Government. This is perhaps the reason she did not get any serious post during the FDC delegates conference three years ago. Kamya had campaigned to become the FDC secretary general. She never made it and blamed her loss on ‘tribalism’. Kizza Besigye ‘saved’ her day, by appointing her a special envoy in his office. She was then, already eyeing the Rubaga North seat that belonged to NRM’s Tom Kayongo. She defeated him in the subsequent MP race in 2006 and became one of two directly elected women in Kampala City. The other is Suzan Nampijja from Rubaga, and one of the 17 directly elected women in the country.
After the elections, she was named shadow minister of agriculture in the shadow cabinet. She has since been writing several articles about what she sees as the failure of the agriculture sector in Uganda, and has provided possible solutions. But most times, her views, even on agriculture are laced with criticism. “How can the Ministry of Agriculture account for only 4% of the national budget, when defence has 20%,†she writes in one of the articles. “I am a muganda first and an opposition politician later,†she reasoned when she wrote her article on the Land Bill. This is why she is Vice-Chairperson of the Buganda MPs parliamentary caucus and a leading Buganda commentator.
On why she invited Salim Saleh, instead of Kizza Besigye, she explained that the General is in charge of tax payers funds that should be shared by everybody without any political consideration. She had invited Saleh to help Lubaga North Development Association (LUNDA)
Kamya has had soldiers in all her life, probably the reason she sounds militaristic in her statements. Her father rose to the rank of Lt Col, George Wilson Kamya, in the 70s. This is perhaps the reason, she never found it a problem to marry a soldier Lt. Spencer Turomwe, unlike many Baganda girls of her time. Turomwe passed away in early 2001.
SHE SAID IT
-Stand on Land Bill.
“It will not solve the problems that it purports to solve; that is enhancing security of tenure, occupancy and also stopping rampant evictions,â€
-On fighting Museveni.
“Like the Kenyans, we are going to have to fight to extricate our selves from Museveni`s paws, now deeply entrenched in our everything. It is not going to be easy, because no thief, robber, looter or colonialist ever let go of the loot easily,â€
-On Buganda and Museveni.
“Baganda are right to be suspicious of Museveni because he cannot be trusted. They are determined to oppose him to the last Muganda and they welcome comrades in this struggle,â€
-About Donors.
“We now consider you collaborators of the oppressors rather than partners in promotion of good governance. In FDC, we are clear that we shall not be talking to you formally again about Uganda`s problems, as long as we are still in the opposition,â€
-About tribes.
“As a Mukooki, I am a full muganda, just like my mutagwenda friend Odo Tayebwa is a full Munyankore,â€
-About the 2007/08 budget.
“Dr. Suruma, give us a budget that will take us back to the 70s, before Museveni took us to the bush. Why should it matter to the majority that donor support should come down when a privileged few go abroad for treatment and get State House scholarships?
THERE is something about Beti Olive Namisango Kamya Turomwe, that keeps her ‘making controversial comments. Some people say it has something to do with her way of thinking. One would not be surprised at Kamya’s regular fall outs with the law. If you consider the meaning of her clan name — Namisango! It means a woman with so many cases to answer.
For the record, no national issue comes and goes without the Rubaga North MP making a comment. From Mabira to CHOGM, the Kayiira report and land issues, are some of the issues Kamya has felt the urge to say something — something that will ‘add value’ as she normally puts it.
On some occasions, she has even crossed the line, from her side of the political divide and hobnobbed with the ‘giants’ from the side that is supposed to be her ‘enemy’, take the time when she invited General Salim Saleh to launch her Bonnabagaggawale scheme, instead of (according) to members of her FDC party — Colonel Kizza Besigye, the party president.
She has also numerously attended functions in her homeland Rakai, organised for Vice-President Gilbert Bukenya.
Is it because of political ambition, that she is once again in ‘hot soup’ for among other reasons, deluding and annoying the name of the President. She has already appeared in court over the issue.
Kamya, a native of Kooki in Rakai district, often speaks like a princess. Even when angry, she never expresses it in her voice. She has banged a few tables at press conferences, but not with a raised voice.
She qualified with a Bachelors Degree in Economics from Makerere University in the late 70s and soon after started working at the Uganda Leather and Tanning Industry as a sales and marketing officer, from 1980 to 1991. She moved to Nyanza Textiles from 1991 to 1993 before joining Uganda Breweries as a marketing manager from 1993 to 1999.
Kamya rose through civil service and became director Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) from 1999 to 2004, when she resigned the job, to engage in politics.
In 2001, she was among the very first people to join the former Reform Agenda now FDC. However, she remained director of UWEC, for another three years, even when her political inclination was anti-government. Later Kamya resigned. But people claim she resigned because she was about to be pushed by the Government from the job.
Some of her fellow members in the party have often had suspicions that Kamya dines with a different political group during the day and another at night, this incidentally may not be true, given the unwavering spirit she has when fighting the Government. This is perhaps the reason she did not get any serious post during the FDC delegates conference three years ago. Kamya had campaigned to become the FDC secretary general. She never made it and blamed her loss on ‘tribalism’. Kizza Besigye ‘saved’ her day, by appointing her a special envoy in his office. She was then, already eyeing the Rubaga North seat that belonged to NRM’s Tom Kayongo. She defeated him in the subsequent MP race in 2006 and became one of two directly elected women in Kampala City. The other is Suzan Nampijja from Rubaga, and one of the 17 directly elected women in the country.
After the elections, she was named shadow minister of agriculture in the shadow cabinet. She has since been writing several articles about what she sees as the failure of the agriculture sector in Uganda, and has provided possible solutions. But most times, her views, even on agriculture are laced with criticism. “How can the Ministry of Agriculture account for only 4% of the national budget, when defence has 20%,†she writes in one of the articles. “I am a muganda first and an opposition politician later,†she reasoned when she wrote her article on the Land Bill. This is why she is Vice-Chairperson of the Buganda MPs parliamentary caucus and a leading Buganda commentator.
On why she invited Salim Saleh, instead of Kizza Besigye, she explained that the General is in charge of tax payers funds that should be shared by everybody without any political consideration. She had invited Saleh to help Lubaga North Development Association (LUNDA)
Kamya has had soldiers in all her life, probably the reason she sounds militaristic in her statements. Her father rose to the rank of Lt Col, George Wilson Kamya, in the 70s. This is perhaps the reason, she never found it a problem to marry a soldier Lt. Spencer Turomwe, unlike many Baganda girls of her time. Turomwe passed away in early 2001.
SHE SAID IT
-Stand on Land Bill.
“It will not solve the problems that it purports to solve; that is enhancing security of tenure, occupancy and also stopping rampant evictions,â€
-On fighting Museveni.
“Like the Kenyans, we are going to have to fight to extricate our selves from Museveni`s paws, now deeply entrenched in our everything. It is not going to be easy, because no thief, robber, looter or colonialist ever let go of the loot easily,â€
-On Buganda and Museveni.
“Baganda are right to be suspicious of Museveni because he cannot be trusted. They are determined to oppose him to the last Muganda and they welcome comrades in this struggle,â€
-About Donors.
“We now consider you collaborators of the oppressors rather than partners in promotion of good governance. In FDC, we are clear that we shall not be talking to you formally again about Uganda`s problems, as long as we are still in the opposition,â€
-About tribes.
“As a Mukooki, I am a full muganda, just like my mutagwenda friend Odo Tayebwa is a full Munyankore,â€
-About the 2007/08 budget.
“Dr. Suruma, give us a budget that will take us back to the 70s, before Museveni took us to the bush. Why should it matter to the majority that donor support should come down when a privileged few go abroad for treatment and get State House scholarships?