By Our Reporters
Leader of Opposition (LoP) Betty Aol, who is also Gulu Woman MP, has spoken out clarifying on our earlier story titled “Basalirwa Rejects FDC’s Shadow Cabinet Post: You Fought me saying I’m weak, Please leave me Alone.” In our earlier story, JEEMA spokesman Abdul Kyamundu was quoted as saying that their NEC meeting recently unanimously voted to reject the offer FDC had given Bugiri Municipality MP Asuman Basalirwa making him Shadow Attorney General. In a phone call to this news website, Aol clarified that she personally (as LoP) has never met Basalirwa and announced such an offer to him. “I thoroughly did my job as LoP, came up with my own list two weeks ago having consulted a lot of colleagues in Parliament and I gave it to my Party President [Patrick Oboi Amuriat] because he has the authority to make changes in consultation with other people at the headquarters. Hon Asuman Basalirwa wasn’t anywhere on the list I gave to my Party President. The Party President in consultation with the Working Committee and NEC can make changes. He can add some or remove some people. It’s within his power and perhaps it’s at that level that Hon Basalirwa was contacted but personally as LoP I have never included him on the list I shared with my Party President,” said Aol who is barely 6 months in office as LoP. She controversially replaced a reluctant Winnie Kiiza. Saying there is a lot of propaganda aimed at demonizing her tenure as LoP, Aol denied claims that several MPs had declined inclusion in her shadow cabinet because they are uncomfortable with the manner in which Winnie Kiiza was ousted and herself enthroned. “One thing I’m very clear about is that Ugandans should expect a strong team,” said Aol who had just returned from a working trip in South Africa. She revealed that the reshuffle and new list would be announced to the public as soon as the FDC Working Committee and NEC are done making their input in the same. NEC is expected to sit on Wednesday to have the last word on the list whereafter it will be unveiled to the public.
BASHES OTAFIIRE’S CRC;
Besides the Basalirwa saga, Aol also gave her views on the names Justice Minister Kahinda Otafiire has proposed for inclusion in the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC). She said she was concerned the nomination list (including the likes of Kiddu Makubuya, Francis Butagira, Nusura Tiperu, Lillian Aber, Paul Wanyoto and 9 others) looks like delegates being sent to represent the interests of NRM somewhere. “It’s really unfair to have such an important commission dominated by people from the ruling party as if it’s a party organ. It’s a very important process where you need very eminent people. I don’t have any hope in such a commission because it’s actually more like the Electoral Commission or even worse. The EC claims to be independent but that is only in name and in practice it’s an extension of the NRM,” Aol said urging all Ugandans to denounce Otafiire and the President for having such people to comprise such an important commission. For feedback, call, text or whatsapp us on 0703164755.
