Museveni Meets Gae
Sep 14, 2003
He may not have won the US $100,000 winner’s prize from the Big Brother Africa house, but Gaetano Kaggwa won the hearts of Ugandans when he returned home last week, and yesterday he won the support of President Yoweri Museveni.
By Kalungi Kabuye
In Soroti
He may not have won the US $100,000 winner’s prize from the Big Brother Africa house, but Gaetano Kaggwa won the hearts of Ugandans when he returned home last week, and yesterday he won the support of President Yoweri Museveni.
The President, who met Kaggwa and fellow housemates Abby Plaajets (South Africa) and Alex Holi (Kenya) At Soroti Barracks, told them the Big Brother reality show can be a positive tool in educating young people about AIDS.
“I don’t agree with people who are condemning the Big Brother show without studying it more, and learning how it can be used to stop young people from getting AIDS,†Museveni said.
“The youth must survive, so you can use this show as entertainment first, and then capitalise on the popularity gained to give positive messages to the youth.â€
Earlier, Gaetano caused excitement when he arrived at the barracks, and soldiers streamed out of their houses to catch a glimpse of him, amid cries of ‘Gae waffe.’ Several of Museveni’s aides posed for photographs with the housemates before the meeting.
In an informal talk that lasted about 30 minutes, Museveni, dressed in full army fatigues and sipping from a white mug, told the ex-housemates he did not know about the Big Brother Africa show till he saw a picture in the papers of a woman crying because Gaetano had not won.
“I wondered what this woman had lost, and when I heard it was because of Big Brother, I started making inquiries about it,†the President said. “The youth are thirsty for knowledge, that is why they watch this show. We have to teach them not just about frogs and Mars, but also about real life. You have to use your popularity to educate the youth about AIDS.â€
The visibly excited and impressed housemates explained to the President what the show was all about, and outlined the process of nominations and evictions. Replying to a question about the social mission of the show, Gaetano said it was about learning to live with people from different cultures and background, and about understanding one another.
Last week, Tim Lwanga, minister for ethics and integrity, referred to people who turned up in droves to welcome Gaetano as idlers. He described Gaetano’s actions as immoral.
On Friday, state minister for information, Nsaba Buturo, criticised Ugandans for giving Gaetano a hero’s welcome, and blasted the media for for publicising it.
The meeting was requested for by the Multichoice General Manager, Charles Hamya, who accompanied the housemates, together with John Serumba, a Multichoice Director, and Martin van Breda, the Big Brother Protocol Manager. The housemates later asked the President if they could use his helicopter back to Kampala, and he consented.
Ends
In Soroti
He may not have won the US $100,000 winner’s prize from the Big Brother Africa house, but Gaetano Kaggwa won the hearts of Ugandans when he returned home last week, and yesterday he won the support of President Yoweri Museveni.
The President, who met Kaggwa and fellow housemates Abby Plaajets (South Africa) and Alex Holi (Kenya) At Soroti Barracks, told them the Big Brother reality show can be a positive tool in educating young people about AIDS.
“I don’t agree with people who are condemning the Big Brother show without studying it more, and learning how it can be used to stop young people from getting AIDS,†Museveni said.
“The youth must survive, so you can use this show as entertainment first, and then capitalise on the popularity gained to give positive messages to the youth.â€
Earlier, Gaetano caused excitement when he arrived at the barracks, and soldiers streamed out of their houses to catch a glimpse of him, amid cries of ‘Gae waffe.’ Several of Museveni’s aides posed for photographs with the housemates before the meeting.
In an informal talk that lasted about 30 minutes, Museveni, dressed in full army fatigues and sipping from a white mug, told the ex-housemates he did not know about the Big Brother Africa show till he saw a picture in the papers of a woman crying because Gaetano had not won.
“I wondered what this woman had lost, and when I heard it was because of Big Brother, I started making inquiries about it,†the President said. “The youth are thirsty for knowledge, that is why they watch this show. We have to teach them not just about frogs and Mars, but also about real life. You have to use your popularity to educate the youth about AIDS.â€
The visibly excited and impressed housemates explained to the President what the show was all about, and outlined the process of nominations and evictions. Replying to a question about the social mission of the show, Gaetano said it was about learning to live with people from different cultures and background, and about understanding one another.
Last week, Tim Lwanga, minister for ethics and integrity, referred to people who turned up in droves to welcome Gaetano as idlers. He described Gaetano’s actions as immoral.
On Friday, state minister for information, Nsaba Buturo, criticised Ugandans for giving Gaetano a hero’s welcome, and blasted the media for for publicising it.
The meeting was requested for by the Multichoice General Manager, Charles Hamya, who accompanied the housemates, together with John Serumba, a Multichoice Director, and Martin van Breda, the Big Brother Protocol Manager. The housemates later asked the President if they could use his helicopter back to Kampala, and he consented.
Ends