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STORMED OUT: Ssebaana; ON VISIT: The
Nabagereka |
By Eddie Ssejjoba
in Minneapolis, USA
There was
drama among the Uganda community in Texas when politicians hosting the
Kampala mayor, John Ssebaana Kizito, boycotted a fundraising dinner for
the Nabagereka Development Trust.
Ssebaana and angry DP leaders
stormed out of the Intercontinental Dallas Hotel after he was denied a
seat at the high table with the Nabagereka, Sylvia Nagginda. The function
was held on August 27.
One of the organisers, Dr. Abdul Ssenkayi,
who is Kabaka Ronald Mutebis representative in Texas and other southern
states, said the Ugandan American Association of Greater Dallas Fort Worth
had organised the fundraising.
Ssenkayi said Ssebaana had just
launched a DP executive committee in Texas where Sebastian Lwanga was
elected chairman.
They did not tell us about the mayor prior to
this function, but at the last minute, when the mayor was outside waiting,
they asked that he sits at the high table, which I refused, Ssenkayi, who
was also the overall organiser of Naggindas visit to the USA, said.
He said the DP leaders paid for a separate table of eight people
at US$500 but demanded that the mayor sits at the high table.
The
organising committee never discussed where the mayor would sit. We had
reserved the high table for the Nabagereka and sponsors only, he said.
Ssenkayi said his team refused because Ssebaanas mission in the
US was different from that of the Nabagereka.
Since he was not
part of the Nabagereka entourage, we decided to put his table near that of
the Nabagereka but the DP chairman rejected it, Ssenkayi explained.
The organisers feared that Ssebaana sitting with the Nabagereka
would give a false impression that she had endorsed the party and their
activities.
They said they did not want to involve the Nabagereka
in any political issues.
They (DP leaders) got mad and refused to
eat, and they told the mayor to remain out. We failed to reach a
compromise and they walked away in protest, Ssenkayi said.
He
said the function went ahead without them.
The guests at the
Nabagerekas table included Diana Stanton, wife of the Episcopal bishop of
Dallas, James Stanton, Jeff Johns, the executive director of Buckner
International and a representative from Mannatech Inc., pastor Ralph
Holland of the Covenant Church in Carrollton, Texas and David Muriibi from
the organising committee.
He said the dinner was held to raise
money for the lodging and transport bills of Nabagerekas five- man
entourage.
He said the committee spent US$20,000 but failed to
raise the money at the dinner.
Other people on the Nabagereka
team were Mariam Sseguya, Charles Ntale, Apolonia Lugemwa, Maria
Kiwanuka and Sarah Kasule.
The DP leader in Texas, Sebastian Lwanga,
declined to comment on the matter when the New Vision met him at the UNAA
convention. I need to consult our overall leader before I make any
comment, he said.
Published on: Wednesday, 7th September,
2005 |
