I still stand by my views -- Kategaya By Ssemujju Ibrahim Nganda June 15, 2003
Senior leaders from Ankole comprising Mr Amanya Mushega, Col Kahinda Otafiire and Mr Augustine Ruzindana have called for tolerance and warned people to stop abusing Mr Eriya Kategaya. The trio was, Friday evening, at a party organised by the Ankole Parliamentary Group to recognise Mr Kategeya�s contribution. He was dropped as first deputy Prime Minister and minister of internal affairs in a 23 May Cabinet reshuffle. The party, at Parliamentary Gardens, was attended by about 100 MPs, 10 ministers, several academicians and investors. �For me I have not been told why I was dropped. But if it was for my views, I have no regrets and I feel comfortable that I expressed them,� said Mr Kategaya. He was later presented with a plaque. Col Otafiire, the minister of Water, Lands and Environment and chairman of the Ankole Parliamentary Group, handed the plaque to him, on behalf of the group. Mr Kategaya asserted that he still stood by his views and that being a minister or not was not an issue. �Dropping is not the end of the world. Being honest to yourself helps a lot. It may be unpopular, � he said. Mr Kategaya is among top Movement officials opposed to amendment of the constitution to lift the two five-year term limit for a president. Mr Kategaya told his audience that he thought the Movement had brought the culture of tolerance. �For me I have not lost the objective of the struggle,� he said. He said it is wise to listen to those with divergent views. Te outgone deputy premier said the Movement is defined by its tolerance of different views. He recalled that NRM chairman, President Museveni, has been saying the Movement is not uni-ideological but multi-ideological. �This county should remain stable, accommodate everybody and should not go back to the past,� said Mr Kategaya. He said that in his culture a man could only turn in the bed but not against his word. He thanked dignitaries who turned up for the party. He said that some people feared to come because they were told, �do not go there they will note you.� Amidst ululation, he said: �I am not a criminal, I am not a thief, my hand is very clean.� Maj. John Kazoora MP for Kashari was the Master of Ceremonies. Upon arrival of ministers Ms Ruth Nankabirwa, Ms Mary Mugyenyi and Mr Isaac Musumba, Maj. Kazoora described them as some of the people who do not fear to be �noted.� Other ministers who attended the party included Prof. Mondo Kagonyera, Mr John Nasasira, Mr Tom Butime, Mr Kamanda Bataringaya and Ms Hope Mwesigye. Mr Amanya Mushega, the secretary general of the East African Community began his speech on a more dramatic note, by asking all former ministers to stand up. Ms Miria Matembe, Mr Omara Atubo, Mr Medi Kaggwa, Mr Ben Etonu, Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu, Mr Patrick Mwondha among others stood up. �Welcome aboard,� Mr Mushega told Mr Kategaya in a speech full of parables. He threw the audience in laughter when he revealed that he had been writing a thesis on �creepers,� a reference to new comers in the Movement who claim more love for the organisation than the historicals. �These cadres in town should know that they are not the ones who first walked the globe. Neither were we the first,� said Mr Mushega. This was in reference to junior Movement cadres who have unleashed a barrage of attacks against Mr Kategaya and other Movement leaders. Mr Charles Rwomushana, working for State House until recently, insulted senior Movement leaders opposed to the third term project, and described them as a malwa group. �This occasion is not a malwa group occasion,� said Mr Augustine Ruzindana, the MP for Ruhama. Mr Mushega said those abusing elders are fighting someone else�s war. He said if you teach your son to abuse your brother, one day he would turn against you. Col. Otafiire said that about 30 years ago Mr Museveni told him he had only one friend and that friend was Mr Kategaya. He then warned those attacking Mr Kategaya saying one day he might make a comeback. Speaker of Parliament Mr Edward Ssekandi gave a cautious speech, recalling his old days with Mr Kategaya at Dar es Salaam University in 1967. He said Mr Kategaya had created a good legacy. He caused laughter when he said Mr Kategaya had wanted to retire and that he had indeed been allowed to do so. �Is this how people are allowed to retire?� some MPs asked in unison. \\\\\\\"Always be a first rate version of yourself instead of a second rate version of someone else.\\\\\\\\\\\\\" Njoki Paul University of Pretoria
