President Yoweri Museveni’s government can be interesting, or so we think at The Pearl Times. See, Museveni has a cabinet of over 80. Yet there was nobody to move a motion to pay tribute to Kawempe North MP Muhammad in a special sitting held today, Friday, January 10, 2025. And that is how Bugweri MP Abdu Katuntu became Uganda’s acting prime minister for a few minutes.
So, when the special sitting to honour Ssegirinya started at about 9am, the front bench was noticeably empty. Yet the Prime Minister and Leader of Government Business in Parliament, a role currently held by Robinah Nabbanja, was supposed to move the motion to pay tribute to the fallen NUP MP.
In Nabbanja’s absence, a deputy prime minister would fill the vacuum. Uganda has three deputy prime ministers: Moses Ali, Rebecca Kadaga and Rukia Nakadama. None was present – just there was no minister to move the motion.
In such special sittings to pay tributes to fallen MPs and other powerful politicians, the Prime Minister or those junior to her in cabinet lead the government’s side. Stuck, Speaker Anita Among had to find someone to step in.
She chose Abdu Katuntu, a former opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) MP who recently joined Museveni’s NRM. Filling the vacuum, Katuntu, although not a member of Museveni’s cabinet yet, seemed to fit in Nabbanja’s shoes. He was, ably, Uganda’s acting prime minister for a few minutes.
“Ssegirinya lived on industrious life, and through hard work, dedication and perseverance, rose from humble beginnings to become a Member of Parliament, Katuntu said, reading the motion that should have been read by Nabbanja.
“Ssegirinya was deeply passionate about community mobilization, journalism and food security, especially in his constituency, as exemplified through his passionate advocacy for various causes, including; Community mobilization for health services through the construction of Kawempe North Hospital from which his constituents and other Ugandans accessed free health care services.”
Later, Deputy Prime Minister Rukia Nakadama came to the House to apologize about miscommunication but Speaker Among punched holes in her defence and apology.
“I want to bring apologies on behalf of Government, I was called this morning at around 8am and I was told that we are supposed to move the motion at 10am and because I was sick, I started preparing myself, when it was approaching 9am, somebody called me from your office and told me, it is 9am,” Nakadama defended herself.
“So, there was miscommunication on time, so, I will apologize on behalf of Government that it wasn’t intentional.”
To which Among responded: “I don’t want to believe in miscommunication because I would take the responsibility. The Order Paper is very clear and when I adjourned Parliament yesterday, I said, we are adjourning to 9am.”
Whether Nakadama’s apology makes sense or not, Abdu Katuntu caught the eye of the speaker (as is expected of every MP). The Pearl Times wonders if he will catch the eye of the president.
And maybe (just maybe), when Museveni is tired of fishermen and fisherwomen, maybe Abdu Katuntu can fall in some big things. (See Museveni Cabinet List Here).
It should be remembered that one of the deputy prime ministers, Gen Moses Ali, has previously appeared weak and sick in public, making Ugandans call on Museveni to allow the elderly man retire. (See Details Here, There and Over There).
Read more on Ssegirinya special sitting story Here.
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