By Otushabire Tibyangye
Jan 22, 2004
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MBARARA - Ms Miria Matembe on Monday clashed with Col. Kahinda Otafiire at a burial. The two politicians were attending the burial of Mr Kesi Kabakyenga, a prominent elder in Mbarara. Trouble began when Otafiire, who was representing President Museveni, denied reports in the press that quoted him saying leaders should leave power when their time comes. “You said it; you said it,” Matembe kept interupting the minister’s speech. Otafiire did not respond to Matembe, who pinned him in front of a huge crowd that included six area bishops and other prominent elders, including, Mr Amanya Mushega, the General Secteray of the East African Community, Mr Richard Kaijuka, a former minister, UPC stalwarts, Mr Yona Kanyomozi and Prof. Adonia Tiberondwa and Uganda’s ambassador to Washington, Francis Butagira. Matembe then took the microphone –after the minister’s speech although Otafiire was supposed to be the last speaker. Otafiire, who is the Minister of Lands, Water and Environment was earlier this month reported to have said leaders should come and go. But he called a press conference to deny he said that during the burial of the late Woman MP for Bushenyi, Bernadette Bigirwa. But as Otafiire repeated his denial on Monday, Matembe, a former minister for ethics and an MP representing Mbarara (women) kept on interrupting the minister’s speech. Matembe was sacked from Cabinet in May last year after she publicly stated that she was opposed to a move to lift the constitutional presidential term limits. The move is seen to favour president Museveni to run for a third term after his last ends in 2006. Matende also criticised Otafiire for claiming that he could fit into Kabakyenga’s shoes. “You have not died in vain. You have left people like me who can fit in your shoes,” Otafiire had said. He used a Kinyankole proverb, “Engiri ezaire teribwa mbwa,” which means that dogs cannot eat a warthog that has produced offsprings. “How can you fit in Kabakyenga’s shoes and build a co-operative movement when you have failed to unite the people politically?” Matembe asked, drawing applause from the mourners. She said Kabakyenga welcomed all people regardless of politics, religion and gender. She praised the late elder for advocating for women’s emancipation. “He gave us cows even before the Movement government came to power,” she said. Kabakyenga was one of the founders of the defunct Banyankole Kweterana Co-operative Society. He died on Saturday after a long battle with cancer and was buried on Monday at his home in Biharwe, near Mbarara town. He was a supporter of the Uganda People’s Congress party and brought UPC president Dr. Milton Obote to Bushenyi from exile in Tanzania on May 27, 1980. Additional reporting by Alex B. Atuhaire |
© 2004 The Monitor Publications
May Kabakyenga’s soul rest in peace!
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