Newly-elected MP Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has opened a can worms expressing his frustration as to why he was belittled in the presence of Buganda Kingdom premier Peter Charles Mayiga.
Bobi Wine wondered why he was denied opportunity to speak at a function in his constituency.
The musician-turned-politician says he was invited for a function at Gayaza Junior School as the school celebrated 106 years of existence. He arrived at the function as early as 10am.
But despite having been at the function for over 5 hours, he wasn’t allowed to speak.
“I was denied opportunity to speak at an important function in the heart of Kyadondo East! I was at the function from 10am to 3pm (5hrs) and as protocol was being ‘observed’, many of the guests who were invited but didn’t show up had their representatives speak on their behalf. Just at the point when the area M.P. was to be invited to welcome the Guest of Honour, the C.A.O’s representative was instead invited to perform that role,” says Bobi Wine.
“My assistant tried to find out from the M.C. whether it was a mistake and they were bluntly informed that they had strict instructions not to let me speak.”
He left immediately after the Chief Guest, Katikiro Peter Mayiga’s speech.
“After the Katikiro’s speech at around 3pm, and owing to the many panic calls from the organisers of the other functions, I silently left and rushed to catch up with my other engagements. I must say it was a humiliation to the people of Kyadondo East to have their elected representative seated at a function for almost five hours and not given any opportunity to say a word. I had prepared to use the occasion to suggest ways of improving our education system!”
The music star took to his Facebook page to express his anger after a local daily carried a headline “Bobi Wine declines to cut cake with Mayiga.”
He said by the time he was called forward, he had already left and he is not a ceremonial MP that his role is to simply cut cakes.
“By the time the cake was cut, I was long gone and I think it was more important for me to say a word to my people rather than cut that cake. Had I been allowed to speak, perhaps what I was going to say would make a better headline than the cake. I am not a ceremonial M.P and would love to use every chance to speak for and to my people!”
