By Mulengera Reporters
Abdul Katuntu has castigated the Observer newspaper over what he described as declining journalism standards which saw them report erroneous things under their recent story which portrayed him to have officially defected to and joined NRM.
Katuntu says that first of all, he never attended the NRM caucus meeting that was referred to where the President cajoled the ruling party MPs on the issue of merging key government agencies like NAADs, UNRA, UCDA etal while collapsing their respective mandates back to the respective mother Ministries. Appearing on Capital Gang on Saturday, where he was flanked by Observer co-founder Semujju Nganda, Katuntu wondered why a reputable media publication like the Observer would run such a consequential news story without bothering to speak to him first for his side of the story.
Moderator Oscar Semweya Musoke exonerated the Observer by informing Katuntu that the same was first referenced upon by Lydia Wanyoto on the same Capital Gang (in his absence) on a Saturday preceding the Observer story which was published on the subsequent Wednesday. He implied it’s possible the newspaper could have got a tip from what Wanyoto, a fellow Gang panelist who unfortunately didn’t attend this Saturday, uttered.
As Nganda contradicted him for curiously becoming soft on the NRM which he had criticized and rejected his entire adult life, Katuntu said the truth is that he is currently an independent MP who has deliberately chosen to have a good working relationship with the ruling NRM party but he hasn’t yet become its member though he was reluctant to rule out the possibility of that ever happening at the time he considers more appropriate. He said it’s because of that excellent relationship that he was designated by the same NRM party (and he accepted) to chair the Rules & Privileges Committee of Parliament.
He explained that this relationship with NRM doesn’t in any way diminish his right to voice his objective mind and even criticisms on some of the things the President or the ruling party does and he considers them unpalatable to his values. Likening himself to a beautiful girl in the community who every man naturally becomes interested in, Katuntu said that no one should be surprised that Gen Museveni and the entire NRM leadership should be desirous to have him join them.
He clarified that even when the NRM top leadership finds him too good to be disregarded and ignored, his contract with his Bugweri voters is to remain independent up to the end of this term. That his people voted for him (in 2021) as an independent and, having been effectively explained to, they understood what it means to be represented by an MP who is on the independent platform. That his relationship with NRM was expected by his voters and that none of them is offended seeing him operate that way and being less belligerent towards Gen Museveni than used to be the case prior.
Katuntu, a veteran of the opposition’s anti-Museveni struggle, since his youthful days in UPC before joining others to co-found FDC in the early 2000s, explained that when time comes he will assess the situation, in consultation with his voters, and publicly declare whether he is ready to officially join the NRM party or not.
The Observer story claimed that, in the presence of Katuntu and Martin Ojara Mapenduzi (Layibi MP in Gulu City), President Museveni declared to the caucus meeting at Entebbe State House that they had both officially, finally accepted to, become members of his ruling NRM party, an assertion Katuntu dismissed as untrue because, at least in his case, nothing like that has happened or been concluded thus far. It was implied there is a lot of talking going on between him on one hand and the apex NRM leadership on the other. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at [email protected]).
