By Mulengera Reporters
In his capacity as the chairman of the cabinet committee on human rights who Gen Salim Saleh directed the CDF Gen MK to keep updating about the Erias Lukwago/Kizza Besigye situation, Justice Minister Norbert Mao says he is still waiting for the briefing.
He said during a Tuesday news conference at DP headquarters that the regular updates are supposed to be collectively rendered to him by Gen MK, the head prisons, the IGP and heads of other security/law enforcement agencies and not only from the CDF. See full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaLwUWFNtfg&t=1096s.
He said he is hopeful the briefs will soon be given as was directed by the President’s brother so as to enable him to give regular updates to the people of Uganda. Mao called this a form of accountability which he said GoU can’t run away from.
Mao went on to clarify that this updating isn’t supposed to be given to just him as the individual Gen Saleh referenced in his letter but to the entire committee.
He said there will have to be a first physical interface which will be a platform during which Gen MK and other agency heads will appear before the entire committee and share all the information they have about disruptive activities which the targeted opposition figures have been engaged in or planning to.
Mao said that this is a very important committee which is mandated to intervene in all manner of human rights-relevant situations for & on behalf of the cabinet whose head is none other than the President himself.
Mao then proceeded to name the members before whom the above referenced security agency heads will be appearing and reporting.
These include himself as the chairman, Prof Ephraim Kamuntu (internal affairs) as his vice, Defense Minister Kiwanuka Kiryowa, Foreign Affairs Minister Haruna Kasolo, Local government Minister Balaam Barugahara, Gender Minister Henry Tumukunde, Attorney General Sam Mayanja, Government Chief Whip Jane Ruth Aceng and the NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong.
This clearly contradicts claims that by making her GCW, Gen Museveni had demoted Jane Ruth Aceng. Todwong sits there too because he sits in Cabinet as an ex-officio member to ensure there is adherence to the NRM election manifesto promises to the people. He may not vote but the NRM SG has for years been sitting in Cabinet.
Rubbing shoulders with such powerful security agency heads and discussing serious business with them, enables GCW Jane Ruth Aceng to project power and access very powerful classified information which she could never have accessed so very directly and in real time, even in a 100 years, if she had remained Minister of health. And its settled wisdom that information is power and being privy to such sensitive stuff strengthens Jane Ruth Aceng, as opposed to weakening her.
Mao also registered his reservations about the Dennis Namara bill meant to alter and dilute the powers of the LoP, a matter he said will have to be discussed and decided upon during the upcoming IPOD Summit later this month when all Presidents of political parties with representation in Parliament will be converging to discuss how to strengthen multi-partism in Uganda.
He said that NUP had been given a second chance and its leader Robert Kyagulanyi is expected to grace the Summit. Mao is currently the Chairman of IPOD Summit which is a rotational role. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
