Mao Dismisses Museveni’s Comments on Abiriga’s Death as ‘Cheap Politics

Opposition Democratic Party (DP) has called upon the NRM to avoid involving in cheap politics following the murder of the Arua Municipality MP, Ibrahim Abiriga.

Addressing the party’s weekly press conference in Kampala, the DP President, Norbert Mao said that it would be wrong for the NRM and President Museveni to accuse the opposition of masterminding the murder of Hon Abiriga.

Mao was responding to President Museveni’s hard talk and speech where he noted that Abiriga’s death was politically motivated due to his strong support and commitment to the NRM party.

But Mao said that the kind of talk by members of the NRM is cheap politics and should not continue because it will only cause an unhealthy debate in the country.

“Those with such talks are the kind of people who don’t know the kind of contest we are in; obviously we launched the K’ogikwatako campaign from here, Abiriga was our political opponent, we disagreed strongly with his support for Article 102 amendment and even those who voted for amendment remain our political opponents but killing is not one of our methods,” Mao said.

“We have stated before that our organisition is a non-violent organization, so if tomorrow I am killed, will it be NRM?” wondered Mao.

“That kind of debate is extremely unhealthy and I call for maturity within the NRM. There is even no basis for us to be suspected”.

Mao added that such allegations should be disregarded by right thinking Ugandans and should not be allowed as a point of debate at such a time.

“I dismiss any such allegations with the contempt it deserves, otherwise, what about the very many opposition leaders who are being crushed in accidents. Should we now say it is NRM that killed the late Suzan Namaganda?”

He asked the NRM not to go in that direction otherwise the debate will become extremely unhealthy.

“Our phones are being stolen, is it NRM, and I think NRM should not use Abiriga’s death to play cheap politics,” he said.

“Those who say he died as a matter for Article 102 (b) are mistaken. Let’s wait for what the police will tell us but we insist that it is the hopelessness of the citizens of Uganda which is leading people into such kinds of violent crimes.”

Mao’s comments come in the wake of reports that DP’s Betty Nambooze is being investigated with three others for the death of Arua Municipality MP, Ibrahim Abiriga.

In a video seen by this site, Mukono Municipality MP Nambooze says in Luganda, “I touched Abiriga’s hunt to demonstrate to him that although he had been given soldiers to guard him, he would be touched by Ugandans.”