By Aggrey Baba
There was tense drama at the DP headquarters on Tuesday, March 17, after two female party members nearly exchanged blows in full view of journalists who had gathered for a scheduled press conference.
The incident unfolded as frustration mounted among members of the forth estate over a delayed appearance by party president Norbert Mao, who had been expected to address the press at 10:00am.
By midday, the mood at Balintuma Road had shifted from routine coverage to open discontent, with journalists, many of whom had arrived ahead of the scheduled time growing restless as the wait stretched to 1:00pm with no clear communication on Mao’s whereabouts.
The situation escalated when one journalist stood up and questioned why members of the press were continuing to wait for hours, urging colleagues not to appear idle or easily taken for granted.
His remarks quickly found support among other fellows, with some suggesting they abandon the event altogether and leave without covering Mao’s address.
It was at this point that Sarah Adong, the DP Women’s League president, stepped in to calm the situation. She approached the journalist who had led the protest, attempting to persuade him and others to remain patient.
However, her intervention did not go as planned, as a journalist from Nation Media Group (NMG), equally frustrated, joined the exchange, emphasizing the concerns about repeated delays by Mao at previous press conferences. The situation quickly turned into a heated verbal confrontation, with Adong and the journalists talking over each other.
As voices rose, attracting attention from everyone at the venue, Dorcus Ainomugisha, the former DP flagbearer for Igara East MP moved in to de-escalate the situation, attempting to restrain Adong and urged her to calm down, reminding her to maintain composure in front of the media.
But the intervention only added fuel to the fire. “You have no audacity to stop me. I’m the President of the Women’s League and I know exactly what I’m doing,” Adong shot back, raising her voice.
The sharp response forced Ainomugisha to temporarily walk away from the scene, leaving behind a charged atmosphere as journalists and other party members looked on.
Adong eventually grabbed the microphone and struck a more conciliatory tone, apologizing to the journalists for the confrontation and for the prolonged delay, explaining that Mao had been held up by engagements in Parliament.
She assured the press that the party president would arrive within 20 minutes.
True to her word, Mao arrived shortly after, and as he began his address, he also apologized for keeping journalists waiting, citing parliamentary duties as the cause of the delay. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
