That�s unethical, Katureebe tells Museveni
STRANGE BUT TRUE: With Andrew M. Mwenda
Mar 2, 2004
We are back to President Yoweri Museveni's ranch in Kisozi, and it is this exciting 31st day of July 2001.
President Museveni is seated with his Attorney General Bert Katureebe and his Senior Advisor of Media and Public Relations, John Nagenda.
The three men are plotting a response to the stinging revelations by former Greenland Bank Managing Director, Sulaiman Kiggundu that President Museveni colluded in the fraudulent purchase of Uganda Commercial Bank (UCB) through his son, Muhoozi Keinerugaba.
Kiggundu has also claimed that Museveni once called him by telephone asking for money to help the President's young brother, Maj. Gen. Salim Saleh to buy Uganda Grain Milling Company (UGMC).
Poisonous, Kiggundu's words are, clear as daylight, his motive. Katureebe has advised the President to deny Kiggundu's allegations.
But in a remarkable show of political skill and cunning, President Museve ni has insisted he cannot tell a bare-naked lie.
"Mr. President," Nagenda kicks off from where he was interrupted, "I think you should tell the truth, and nothing but the truth. But you should not tell the whole truth�" The President looks askance at his veritable senior advisor on media and public relations.
After a pose gauging the President's body language, Nagenda continues: "This thing about Muhoozi�" the senior advisor says as the President shifts in his chair, "I think you have a responsibility to protect him as a father and also because he is still a young man. You can write a response to Kiggundu's allegations, but not mention Muhoozi. You will not have lied; you will only not have volunteered information."
"I think even that is wrong," President Museveni shoots back with an impatient tinge in his voice, "Kiggundu has specifically mentioned Muhoozi. I cannot keep quiet about it. What will Muhoozi think of me as his father and as a leader?"
Katur eebe notices a problem at chips in again: "Mr. President it is unethical for a President to call a managing director of a government bank asking him to lend money to a businessman." Museveni has earlier said he once called UCB MD Frank Mwine asking him to give a loan to Nagenda.
"It is even more unethical for you as President to call a managing director of a private bank to loan money to your brother to buy a public enterprise," Katureebe says with signs of frustration on his face.
At this point, Museveni overrules both his AG and media advisor and begins to craft a response to Kiggundu.
What does he say in this response that has never been published?
And why was it never published?
Next week in Strange But True!
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