The opposition Members of Parliament are now very bitter about Mao’s transition to the ruling NRM government.
By Nancy Atim
Lira – July 25, 2022: A section of opposition members of parliament [MPs] have condemned Norbert Mao’s move to join the ruling NRM party.
The appointment of the Democratic Party [DP] president Norbert Mao to serve as Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs has drawn mixed reactions across the political divide.
Some opposition leaders are pulling a wave of condemnation toward the leader of one of the oldest political parties in the country.
President General Norbert Mao as he is widely known was on Thursday, July 21, 2022, appointed by President Yoweri Museveni to the cabinet to serve the country as Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
His appointment came a day after he and President Museveni who is also the National Chairperson of the NRM signed a working cooperation deal on behalf of the Democratic Party and National Resistance Movement (NRM), respectively.
Over the years, Mao has been “a fierce and strong critic of Mr. Museveni’s three-decade rule after contesting twice against the incumbent in the 2011 and 2021 presidential elections” which, however, didn’t yield fruits.
The big news was rather disappointing news to a section of opposition legislatures and for those who admired “General” Mao for his boldness and oratory skills.
Mao’s broad daylight public agreement with the NRM government also came as a surprise and a shocker to many.
Bayiga Philip Micheal Lulume, the Buikwe South County Member of Parliament in Buikwe district and a staunch Democratic Party member says Mao in his capacity has tried to mortgage DP into the ruling party with intentions of securing himself a job as well as his counterparts.
Lulume says General Mao’s move to sign a cooperation deal with the president was not tabled before the National Executive Committee of the Democratic Party.
According to Lulume, Mao has for long been secretly working with Mr. Museveni and General Salim Saleh.
Bayiga Lulume further says “Mao cannot eat his cake and have it,” calling upon his resignation as DP party president and to serve in the cabinet or face legal battles.
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Luttamaguzi Ssemakula Paulson, a Member of Parliament for Nakaseke South County, Nakaseke district under the Democratic Party has described Mao’s move as “putting new wine in an old bottle”.
Luttamaguzi notes that Mao’s appointment as Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs will not yield anything new, especially for their comrades still languishing behind bars, the majority coming from the National Unity Platform [NUP].
National Unity Platform’s Medard Lubega Ssegona, MP Busiro East, Wakiso district, and a former member of the Democratic Party confirm that Mao is qualified for the position appointed to in the government but his services and competence will be compromised.
According to Ssegona, the appointing authority, Mr. Museveni will not give a green light to chairman Norbert Mao’s new reforms lined up in his work plan that could be of great impact.
Ssegona also states that Mao, however, made a big mistake of committing the Democratic Party to agreements with the current regime without consultations from the National Executive Committee and DP members at large.
Another legislature from the National Unity Platform (NUP) Kiyaga Hillary Innocent who represents the people of Mpigi District described Mao’s transition to government “as a breach of trust”.
He further says that as opposition, they see no hope in how matters human rights will be handled in the country.
Over the past years, northern Uganda has been blessed with public figures taking up juicy jobs in the government. This, to some opposition MPs from the greater north, says they have not used their positions to see development in the region.
Gilbert Olanya, the Kilak South Member of Parliament in Amuru district says Mao has betrayed the trust of not only the opposition parties but also the Acholi people by deciding to accept the regime’s job offer after using his party DP to get a job.
He equally reiterated that as leaders in the region, they are surprised by Mao’s transition which will cast doubt on his political influence in the future.
According to Gilbert Olanya, his appointment to the docket of Minister of Justice and Constitutional affairs will have no serious impact, especially in northern Uganda because such appointments don’t come with special packages.
In recent years, many opposition legislatures have since crossed over to the National Resistance Movement to take up government jobs, and among others are Joyce Ssebugwawo Nabbosa, Speaker Anita Among, and Beatrice Anywar who crossed from the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).
Aggrey Awori and Ahmed Washaki crossed from Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), Gilbert Bukenya, Nasser Ntege Ssebaggala, and Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi from Democratic Party (DP) and Uganda Federal Alliance’s Beti Olive Kamya.