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I didn’t ignore you: Museveni sorry for not coming out of vehicle to greet NRM supporters

President Museveni. Courtesy Photo

Uganda’s president and ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) chairman has apologized to supporters following incidents in which he declined to come out of his vehicle to greet supporters gathered along the roadside.

On October 10, Museveni officiated at the handover of value addition equipment and grants to beneficiary farmer organizations at the Namalere Agricultural Referral Mechanization Centre in Wakiso District.

As he returned from the event, Museveni noticed supporters gathered at Bwaise, Kawanda, and Namalere wanting him to address them.

But the president, in power since 1986 and seeking reelection in the 2021 presidential election, declined to get out of his car to address them.

He has now said he was sorry he didn’t address his eager supporters because gatherings remain a key driver of Covid19 infections.

“Fellow countrymen and women, there was an incident yesterday on Bombo Road where a woman, an NRM mobiliser, stormed out of the crowd to reach me while on my way from Namalere Agricultural Referral Mechanization Centre in Wakiso district,” he said in his apology issued on October 11.

NRM supporters line the streets of Bwaise as Museveni headed to Namalere on October 10. Photo/PPU

“I witnessed a huge crowd of people who had gathered on both sides of the road right from Kawanda, Kawempe-Kagoma up to Bwaise, who wanted me to stop. Even if I stopped, I could not address the people because of the Covid19 pandemic.

“These are NRM supporters and this is why I have to genuinely apologise because I did not stop or even come out of the vehicle. I didn’t ignore you.”

Museveni further warned Ugandans against complacence in the observance of Covid19 prevention guidelines.

“Now, the Covid19 pandemic has killed over 90 people in Uganda. It is still dangerous. Observe strict measures for control by avoiding the further spread of the pandemic,” Museveni advised.

Museveni on collective effort to fight Covid19. Video/Museveni

According to figures from Uganda’s Ministry of Health, cumulative Covid19 infections stand 9,801 as of October 11. The country has registered 93 deaths and 6,109 recoveries.

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Samuel Kamugisha

Samuel Kamugisha is a Ugandan journalist, editor, translator, language instructor, poet, fiction and non-fiction writer. A Makerere University graduate of Journalism and Communication with a decade-long experience in news reporting, writing and editing, Kamugisha is Editor at The Pearl Times. His other journalistic work was published by The Observer. When he is not doing journalism work -- which is rare -- Kamugisha will be reading or writing a short story or a poem, or caught up in the writer's block. His new children's book 'Friends of Plastics' has been published by Room to Read and Reading Association of Uganda and can be read here: https://literacycloud.org/stories/7887-friends-of-plastic/